Malefic Morrow
by Eisac Namhort
Summary: After the Red Knight's death, things are starting to get back to normal for Alice Hamilton. That is until a man shows up on her doorstep with grave news that changes everything. Her world is once again flipped upside down, only this time in her own city.
1. Chapter 1

_AN/ Welcome back to Alice Hamilton's adventures! This will be somewhat different from the Red Knight, but hopefully just as exciting. Hehehe *rubs hands together*. Enjoy! ~Eisac_

Chapter One

Alice Hamilton had never felt more accomplished in all her life, unless of course you count the two times she'd helped save Wonderland. But right now was a normal, realistic thrill of accomplishment from finishing the new decorations in her house Hatter bought. It had taken almost a year since she'd returned to San Francisco and slowly with every paycheck either she or Hatter received, they were able to purchase a table here or a lamp there. Something to help complete the vibe they were striving for, a contemporary version of their own eccentric Wonderland to make Hatter feel more at home, which surprisingly hadn't been that difficult.

But finally everything was finished…except for two rooms upstairs being used as storage currently. Alice had a pretty good idea what at least one of them could be used for later, she thought placing her hand delicately on her stomach. She wasn't showing yet, but then again her doctor, Steve Langley, just spoke with her on the phone earlier informing she was six weeks along. Six weeks.

Shouldn't she have known something was amiss? If she hadn't gone in for a routine checkup, Alice might never have known. Well, that wasn't true. She'd have figured it out soon enough and so would've Hatter.

But apparently she'd been so busy with the house and helping Hatter with his tea shop—which turned out to be a very popular spot for tourists and locals alike—that she'd completely forgotten about her upcoming period. And never even noticed its arrival time fly by without any appearance. Alice feared her lack of intuition was somehow a flaw that would present itself in motherhood as well. The last thing she wanted was to screw up being a mother. But she had faith that Carol, _her mother_, would be a great role model. Alice always felt she could come to her with any problem and it would be thoroughly examined and then solved the best way they knew how. She only hoped she could be that reliable for her child.

Standing in the incredibly large kitchen with bay windows, cream cabinets and black granite countertops, Alice poured herself some coffee in one of the odd designed mugs Hatter sold in his shop. She really hadn't done any research and didn't know whether or not she should be drinking this much caffeine, but it was a morning ritual Alice was not yet ready to part with.

Alice could even hear Hatter now, "Shouldn't you be drinking tea instead of that horrid stuff? Tea is much more soothing for the nerves."

Yea, yea. Well, Hatter wasn't home right now and nor did he know she was with child yet. So, she'd greedily enjoy her steaming cup of joe before sitting him down tonight to give him the good news. A baby. They were going to have a baby.

She hadn't planned on it, but Alice smiled to herself and sipped the bold richness of her drink. This was going to be a memorable day. Alice couldn't wait to tell Hatter.

Even though she wanted Hatter to be the first to hear the good news, Alice grew weary of waiting. The chrome clock on the living room wall ticked by the seconds loudly, making it harder and harder to contain her little secret growing inside her. There was one person Hatter wouldn't mind knowing before him, but when Alice phoned her mother there was no answer. Perhaps she's gone to lunch or in a meeting, she thought.

And there was no way she could tell the people at her own work before the father…that just wouldn't be right. She wasn't working today anyways.

Alice sighed and grabbed a book from the shelves surrounding their entertainment center. A simple romance to keep her satisfied for a bit. Anything to occupy her mind until Hatter returned.

About two hours later, when Carlton was finally going to kiss the heiress, Sarah, in the book, the doorbell rang. Alice grumbled and tossed the thick novel down on the wrought iron coffee table at her knees. She hadn't been expecting anyone this afternoon and hoped it wasn't Jehovah's Witness or something. She respected people's motivation to have doors constantly slammed in their faces and then continue ringing doorbells despite, but it was annoying to be bothered when you weren't interested.

When Alice opened the door that last thing she expected to see was a large guy in a beige trench coat. A gust of wind pelted against her face and blew the door right out of her hand. It was a bit chilly for the month of October in San Francisco. Normally it's in the seventies, but it felt like the fifties or lower.

The man grumbled and held his coat closer together at the throat. Despite his wide shoulders and massive height, he seemed rather harmless. But Alice never let her guard down; she'd seen men like this one turn dangerous in an instant before. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm Detective Ray McCarthy from the SFPD and I would like to speak with you. May I come in?" He flipped his badge and ID out. It appeared genuinely familiar; since her work had different police officers visit before to show the younger children methods of self defense.

"What's this about?" Alice asked closing the door behind him. This couldn't be good whatever it was. Never responding, he let himself into the living room to sit down in the chair Alice had occupied earlier.

"If you could have a seat ma'am…" he motioned towards the couch across the room. McCarthy rubbed his eyes with course fingers, breathed deeply and took out a small leather notebook from his inner jacket pocket.

Alice suddenly became very nervous.

"You are Alice Hamilton, correct?" His pen was out now, guiding him through his notes.

"Yes, I am."

"Your father disappeared some twelve years ago."

"He did, but he's been gone so long. What does it matter now?" Alice kept to herself, her discovery two years ago of where her father had been and then of course his death. It's best just to let people think he'd run out on her and her mother.

McCarthy nodded his head and made a mark on the notebook. "Just making sure our records are correct. You haven't heard anything from him?"

"No," Alice lied.

The man looked tired as he ran his hand over his face once more. "Look, there is no easy way to say this and I was hoping you had your father here to help you through this, but your mother, Carol Hamilton, was murdered last night."

Alice's heart stopped beating all together, her ears clogged up and eyes fogged over. Did she hear him right? "What?"

"I am so sorry to tell you this. We got a call saying one of her neighbors had found your mother, but when we got there she was already dead."

The room was now spinning and Alice had to breathe very slowly to keep from throwing up. "How?" she whispered after a few minutes.

"It was a…robbery." Alice didn't like the way he'd said that; almost as if he were holding back something from her. Something he didn't want to share because it was so gruesome to think of? Something too horrible that not even her daughter would be able to stomach?

And she couldn't. Alice ran to the kitchen and emptied her stomach's contents down the drain, which was mostly just her earlier cup of coffee. She rested her head against the cold metal of the sink and felt the burning tears surface. Her mother was dead. Carol was dead.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN/ sorry this took awhile. I was out of town for awhile and didn't have a chance to write and next weekend I have a yard sale so we'll see how this goes. But don't worry, I've got some interesting stuff to come. ~Eisac_

Chapter Two

Her father was dead. Her mother was dead. Alice just couldn't comprehend the fact she was now an orphan. It was never even a concept she'd dreamed would relate to her, but it did.

The cop had slipped into the kitchen without her knowing and handed over a towel to wipe the water from rinsing her mouth out and tears that still streamed her cheeks. The look of utter sympathy and hurt on the man's face was sincere and felt bizarrely comforting. Alice was glad he was here.

"Do you have anyone you can stay with tonight?" he asked concerned.

"I live with my…" Boyfriend? Fiancé? None of those terms were even close to her relationship with Hatter. "David," she corrected. "He will take care of me tonight."

McCarthy seemed satisfied. "Is there any way you could get a hold of him right now?"

"He's at his shop, but I could try. Why?"

"It's standard procedure, but I'm going to need you to identify the body. I didn't know if you wanted him to come with you or not. Most people like having some family or friends with them for this devastating time."

"Oh," Alice licked her lips. "I'll call him."

As soon as she realized Hatter wasn't going to answer, she decided to just go on without him. She didn't really like bothering him when he was working anyways. Alice quickly left a message telling him where she was going to be—which McCarthy had slipped a piece of paper with the address on it—the Mission Station close to downtown.

Alice grabbed her burgundy coat since it was cold outside, followed the detective to his car and climbed in the passenger side. The plain black car felt warm through her clothes and smelt of leather and coffee. Alice tried to relax for the ride and not think about what she was about to do.

oo

Hatter helped the younger man, Todd, unload the last two boxes from the delivery truck parked behind the shop. They'd had three shipments in the last two hours and both their backs were hurting and arms shaking from exertion. _David's Cup of Wonder_ was very popular and required a lot of merchandise, teas of his own creation, and other decorative knick knacks San Franciscans liked to purchase nowadays.

But Hatter and Todd had managed to get all the boxes indoors between customers. The morning rush for the _8 to 5_ crowd that liked to get a pre-brewed cup to go had been exhausting, but that's how it was every day. Either they wanted a cup to drink right then or their own box to brew at home…or both. It made no never mind to Hatter because regardless, his business was swarming.

He grinned at how successful he'd managed to become in only a year. Well, according to Alice, most businesses either grow abruptly or fold in a years time of opening. Lucky for him, his business would continue to flourish.

When he and Todd came back to the front, there were still no customers to be found. Good, he'd have a moment to rest.

He gazed around to make sure everything was in order. The shop was more on the eccentric side, but that was his style. Reds, lime greens and creams striped the walls, intricate picture frames, candle holders and clocks scattered two sides, while the others held brewers and their check-out counter. On the floor area, tables with matching color scheme cloths and mugs, tea cups, and saucers decorated each one around the room. It was simple in its means, but with a Wonderland flare, Hatter decided.

Out the corner of his eye, Hatter noticed the store's phone was blinking, signaling someone had left a message. He quickly picked it up and listened to Alice's voice. She never usually called him at the store, but for some reason she'd left a message saying she was going to some Mission place. Hatter didn't like the way she sounded as if something was bothering her. Everything in his gut told him there was. But Hatter couldn't leave Todd here alone with all those boxes of merchandise to itemize _and_ take care of customers.

Hatter ground his teeth in frustration and prayed it was nothing serious. He'd smack himself if something were to happen to Alice. Dialing their house, Hatter waited hoping she hadn't left yet, but received no answer. Dammit. He'd wait and call back in a little bit.

"Todd, you watch the front. I'm going to start in on those boxes. Let me know if you need anything."

"Yes, sir." Hatter wanted to hurry and get as much done as he could, then maybe he could leave early and find out what was bothering Alice. Something was telling him Alice was in trouble, but he didn't want to overreact because he was a little more than protective of her. No, he'd wait a little while.

oo

Alice hadn't really spoken that much on the ride over from the numb feeling coursing through her body as if protecting itself from a total meltdown. Her eyes were seeing trees, houses, peers, water, but her head registered nothing.

"Are you okay?" the detective asked.

She said nothing. If she could have, she would, but there was nothing to say. Her mother was gone and Alice suddenly felt very empty inside. _Orphan_. _Orphan_, she repeated over and over in her brain.

McCarthy didn't ask anything else, until they'd arrived near the downtown area of San Francisco. Mission Station was only one of the dozen police headquarters they had on the island, but apparently it was closest to her mother's apartment. "Are you ready? You don't have to do this alone you know. We can wait for your friend to show up."

"No, I want to get this over with." It was Alice's mother and she felt an obligation to do this as soon as possible. The faster her mother was put under soil, the faster she'll be at rest. "Let's go," Alice demanded getting out of the car.

McCarthy led her into the main lobby where a short frumpy woman in her mid fifties and grey curly hair sat behind a tall counter answering phone calls. "Yes, sir. I'll be sure to tell him. Thank you and have a nice day." The phone rang again as soon as she replaced the receiver and picked it up again, "San Francisco Police Department, how may I help you?"

"Busy day Sal?" McCarthy asked.

She covered the end of the phone with her hand, "Never a moments rest in this city, Ray. The crazies have already started calling about the latest murder." Sally shook her attention back to the person on the line, "Oh no ma'am not you. I was talking to…hello? Ma'am are you there? Oh, dear," she sighed and hung up.

He smirked, but as they turned the left corner down a narrow hallway, his grim face returned. "The autopsy room is just downstairs at the end of this hall and to the right. You are more than welcome to go down and wait outside for me. I've just got to stop by my office and grab a few things. I'll only be a moment."

After McCarthy had slipped into another room, Alice managed to move on her own. She hadn't realized how much the detective had been helping hold her up. Her feet were heavy as if bags of sand were tied around her ankles and her mouth was cotton dry now. But she made it to the stairs, down them and saw the door the detective had mentioned. It had wavy glass on the top half and big black letters that said, _Morgue,_ on the front. A tall, skinny man wearing a white lab coat had his back to the door. Alice saw the red scalpel he'd dropped down onto the portable, silver stand he had next to him with a loud _chink_.

Alice swallowed hard and tried to keep her head from spinning with no success. Her elbow hit the wall, throbbing pain shooting up her arm. Suddenly the door flung open. The skinny man popped his head out, "Oh! Are you the family?" His face was visible now, clear goggles shielding his misty gray eyes, his nose long and pointy, lips thin and chin square. He wasn't a particularly attractive man, but he wasn't ugly either…nerdy was the word to describe him. "Hamilton?"

Examining this man had reduced the spinning to a minimum and her head cleared minutely. "Yes, I'm the daughter."

He grimaced. "I'm sorry for your loss, ma'am."

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Well, it won't get any easier the longer you wait. Yes?" The skinny man held the door open for her and motioned her in like he was welcoming her into his home. How creepy was that?

Alice knew she was supposed to remain in the hallway until the detective showed up, but the skinny man was right. Best to be done with this.

As he led her up to the gurney with a white sheet covering the body, he introduced himself as Jim and told her not to worry it was only the face they uncover. She ignored the trimmers in her hands and knees for that matter and walked up to where her mother lay naked on a cold slab. This was sickening.

The skinny man, named Jim, lifted the sheet and revealed a middle aged pretty woman with brown hair, highlights, soft stretched lips, delicate straight nose and wide forehead. It was Carol. No two ways about it. This body belonged to her mother. "It's her," she choked out.

The tears were burning beneath her eyes as she glanced once more at the now pale, chalky face. There was no flush under her cheeks, no vibrant color around her eyes. Carol's lips were almost purple from lack of blood flow or loss of it. Alice didn't know. "How did she die?" she asked realizing the detective had never revealed any details.

Jim hesitated, but saw her need for information. "She was strangled to death and then stabbed several times."

Alice felt a wave of nausea followed by more dizziness, but held herself still. "You say she died from being strangled? But then someone stabbed her afterwards? That doesn't make any sense."

She could tell Jim didn't feel comfortable answering these types of questions, but she didn't care. "Well, sometimes in cases like these…a person will…continue to attack the victim even after they die. In this case strangulation was the cause, which is a blessing because it was quick and she didn't suffer through the horrible stabbing this killer felt compelled to perform. This was definitely personal."

Trying to process it all, Alice's mind raced, "But Detective McCarthy said it was a robbery and my mother was just a witness."

"Well, if the evidence says it was a robbery than it was, but your mother's body is saying something much different. Someone meant to kill her."

Her stomach dropped as Jim revealed what Alice had been trying to deny the whole time, this was more than what it seemed and she feared it had something to do with her. Alice's mother was dead because of her. Had to be, because Carol had no enemies, but Alice did. The room spun off its axis as Alice's knees buckled out from under her. She felt the cold tiled floor hit her cheek, before everything went dark.

_AN/I know this was a little crazy at the beginning but I had to get the ball rolling and I'll try not to leave you guys hanging on every chapter. Hoped you liked it! ~Eisac_


	3. Chapter 3

_AN/ I tried posting this last night and reading my friend's story, but my internet wasn't working. But here it is for ya. I think this one went well. I didn't even realize the time passing when I was writing it, so it was flowing pretty well. Sry if there are any mistakes. I edit as best I can. And thanks for the great reviews! You guys mean a lot to me! ~Eisac_

Chapter Three

Hatter bustled through the double doors of the Mission Station that happened to be a police precinct, which Alice never mentioned in her message. If it hadn't been for Detective McCarthy calling him a half hour later from the station, Hatter would have never known what was going on. It was so like Alice to try to handle every bad situation life threw at her alone. Once he found her, he had had ever intention giving her a piece of his mind about it, but on the drive over, he quickly came to his senses. Alice was going to be distraught from losing her mother and he had no business making matters worse for her. She was going to need all the love and support she could get and Hatter was all she had left.

That bit of information pained him and on the other hand gave him imperativeness. Because this was the first occasion someone else actually needed him completely. His presence in Alice's life was crucial and whether or not it was selfish, Hatter for the first time in his life had meaning other than some character in a children's book. He felt real and human and he had Alice to thank for that.

It was horrible what happened to her mother and Hatter would regret not being there for Alice right from the beginning, but he would from now on out. He would be there.

After rushing up to the counter in the main lobby, the middle aged woman sitting behind it nearly fell out of her chair, startled from Hatter's abrupt appearance. "My God!," she gasped.

Hatter glanced at the name plate, _Sally Price_, "I'm so sorry Mrs. Price. I need to know where Alice Hamilton is, please." He was out of breath and spoke hurriedly making Sally even more on edge.

"She was downstairs in the morgue." The woman was about to say something else, but Hatter had already left the counter. He didn't have time to chat with strangers…Alice needed him.

The green stairs sign at the end of the hall was lit over the door on the left. He was just about to push it open when a warm hand clasped his arm, stopping him. Hatter whipped his head around about argue, when the man spoke in a harsh, tired voice.

"You David?" he asked dropping his hand from Hatter's arm.

The voice was familiar, only less rough in person. "McCarthy?"

He nodded his head and motioned him to follow. "She's in my office. I'm afraid there was a bit of a mishap."

"What mishap?" Suddenly Hatter's hands began to sweat and his stomach tightened.

"Well, as I told you on the phone, it wasn't my intention to let Miss Hamilton see the body alone, that's why I called you. But before I could get down there to tell her you were on your way, she'd already gone in and…" He hesitated running his hand through his disheveled hair.

They made their way through a room with desks piled with paperwork on each one lined in rows, and people scurrying around conversing about other crimes in the city. An old water cooler and cone shaped plastic cups sat next to a stained coffee pot on a table at the back. And closed office doors arranged around the sides with cork boards decorated in pictures and notes from unsolved cases between them. One door in the back on the far left had Detective McCarthy's name printed on the glass. The men made a direct line for it. "And what?" Hatter encouraged, worried beyond belief. "What happened?"

"Well, when I came in the room Jim was hunched over the woman trying to wake her up. She'd passed out when he'd told her what had happened to her mother."

Hatter ground his teeth wanting to slam this Jim guy against the wall. "Did he show her the body?"

McCarthy knew what Hatter was thinking and shook his head. "He only showed her the victim's face. That is all that's allowed for identification. It isn't in the family's best interest to see a loved one in such a state."

Before Hatter could ground him some more about what Jim had told Alice, McCarthy opened his office door and they saw Alice was asleep on a small cot off to the side. A large oak desk was centered in the room with more piles of paper on it; file drawers beside wide windows, burgundy cushioned chairs and other office equipment, but Hatter didn't care. He only saw the exhausted looking brunette curled under a hunter green wool blanket with a small bruise on one side of her cheek.

A fierce need to protect Alice rushed over him. Hatter knew she'd been through a lot and wanted to take her home as soon as possible. This nightmare was the last place she'd want to wake up in, but there were a few more things Hatter needed to discuss with McCarthy before he took her home.

oo

Alice jerked awake at the feel of her body being jostled against the door of a car. This wasn't the same car she'd ridden to the police station in. This one had soft blue seats instead of black leather and a lemon scented hangtag on the rearview mirror that Hatter seemed to favor over just plain air fresheners. She felt a mental relief knowing she was with someone safe. Hatter, she sighed.

She lifted her head to glance over at him, but felt the wooziness swirl around as it had in the morgue even though she'd been out for awhile. Hatter pushed her back against the seat. "Just relax, we're almost home."

Relax? How could she relax when her mother's killer was probably going to come after them next? "Hatter, there is something I need to tell you about my mother's murder," she said frantic.

He pressed one hand over her mouth, "Later honey. You've had a very stressful day and you need to rest right now. I'm taking you home and you're going straight up to bed…no arguments."

Normally Alice liked it when Hatter took over and forced her to take time to rest from hectic days. She was always such a busy body, but for once Alice was not happy about this. If she didn't tell Hatter that her mother's death was more than just a robbery gone bad, something horrible was going to happen to him. Alice needed to warn him. "But Hatter I…"

"Alice! I said no arguments! I'm already pissed off you didn't tell me what exactly was going on. I'm not an idiot. You avoided saying specific details about why you were going to Mission Station on purpose, so I wouldn't rush over there to be with you or be inconvenienced. You had to just go at it alone, like you always do and now look what happened. I…" Hatter forcefully closed his mouth. Alice knew he was seething with anger and it was best not to open her mouth again about her mother right now.

Of course, he was right. She did keep what was really going on to herself. At the time it seemed like the best thing to do and not to mention she was in shock. Alice was still in shock if she were being honest with herself. But how did Hatter know to come now? He wasn't supposed to get off work for another two hours. "What made you come to the station?"

Hatter shot her a daggered glance and then gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were bone white. "McCarthy called me as soon as you got to the station. He memorized the number when you dialed me at the store before."

That was why he'd gone to his office. McCarthy had wanted Hatter to be with Alice when she saw Carol. A lump of what tasted like guilt clogged her throat and she didn't like the bitter flavor it left either. "I'm sorry Hatter."

He didn't say anything. In fact neither said anything for the remainder of the drive. It wasn't until Alice was in her flannel pajamas, tucked snuggly in bed before Hatter uttered one word to her. "I'm sorry about your mother, Alice."

"Me too," she said clasping the brown comforter and pulling it over her breasts. As her eyes began to water over, Alice realized she hadn't cried yet for her loss. After all the hours that had past, really sobbing had been the last thing on her mind. Perhaps it was from the numbness that had soon enveloped her emotions preventing the tearful act from happening. But one thing was for sure Carol deserved a long and sorrowful mourn. She had been such a loving mother and good person. Alice didn't know what she was going to do without her. Who was going to help her through fights she had with Hatter or when the washing machine busted and leaked water everywhere or arrange flowers for her forayer? Who was going to hold her hand and tell her that they loved her, but Alice was being an idiot?

The more she thought about how much her mother had actually been a part of her life, the harder Alice began to sob. At first she'd forgotten Hatter was in the room, until he'd slipped under the covers and wrapped her up onto his lap. He rocked her back and forth almost relieved that Alice was finally crying so much. She grimaced knowing how completely soaked his shirt would be, but she couldn't help it. Memories of when she was a kid helping her mother in the kitchen, or out in the garden at their old yellow house, or working on a school project getting paint everywhere and laughing about it.

Alice dug her face into Hatter's shoulder as the pain ripped and clawed at her chest. She barely noticed his warm hand rubbing up and down her back as if Hatter could rub the pain away. If only that were feasible, she thought. Alice would take anything than the suffering she felt right now. Hell, even being held captive by the Red Knight had been nowhere near this bad.

Slowly Alice began surfacing back to reality and back to Hatter's loving arms and was thankful he'd been there to comfort her. There was no way to really say how much it meant, so Alice just slipped her arms around his shoulders and sighed into his neck, hiccupping from the deep sobs.

"Everything will be alright, Alice. I love you and I'm not going anywhere," Hatter whispered, brushing her matted hair from her wet cheeks.

"I love you too." Her voice was scratchy. But clearing it would do no good, there was too much built up in there to try…guilt, sadness, fear. It was endless and the rolling of her stomach told her it was only the beginning.

"Hatter? Will you please let me say this?"

"What love? What is it?" He petted her hair as he leaned both their bodies back against the pillows.

"I think my mother was murdered for a reason."

Hatter huffed in her ear, "Because of the robbery." He said it matter-of-factly as if he wasn't going to budge on the subject.

"No. It was more than that. Someone killed her because of me."

Alice could physically see Hatter's body tense, right down to his toes. "Don't be ridiculous," he said, his arms tightening around her waist.

"It's true! Did they tell you how she died?"

He just nodded his head and wouldn't look her in the eye, which for some reason really bothered Alice.

"Then you know that this was more than just a normal killing. It was personal and all my fault too."

The rage Alice felt vibrating through Hatter startled her, "This was not your fault Alice Hamilton! Your mother was just a victim in a heartless crime that resulted in her death. None of this was because of you!"

Okay maybe she shouldn't have said that out loud, but Alice knew it was true. Somehow this had to be because of her and she wanted to get to the bottom of this one way or the other. If she could just figure out who was in her mother's apartment…

"Stop right there!" Hatter shouted pointing a finger in Alice's face.

"What?"

"I know what you're thinking Alice. And I will not have you trying to solve your mother's murder on your own. This is something for the police to handle and not a karate instructor."

Wince. Did he have to make her sound so insignificant? Alice was proud of her job. She helped young people learn to defend themselves, something she should have taken the time to help her mother with. But it was too late for that. It was too late for a lot of things.

"Look, I'm not going to go play detective. I just think something is wrong about this murder. I mean, why would somebody stab a person a bunch of times after they were already dead?"

Hatter was steaming in frustration, "I don't know!"

"Well, I do. It's the Red Knight."

"The Red Knight is dead, Alice. You know that."

She shook her head, "Yes, but it's _because_ of the Red Knight. Because we killed him. I think someone is pissed and has come back for revenge."

"That's not possible. Most of the knight's men hated him and were happy to see the man fall. And the others that were left were taken down by the Jabberwocky."

"What if Charlie missed one?" Alice watched as Hatter contemplated her question. It was possible, she thought.

"No. And besides…it's been a year. Why would they wait so long to attack? And why not just attack you instead of your mother?"

He had her there. She had no idea why they would wait instead of just coming after her with rage fresh on their minds. "Hell, I don't know. But if it's not because of what happened in Wonderland, than what?"

"I think this is something for McCarthy to figure out. Not us, Alice. Let's let them do their jobs."

Alice just couldn't see any other way around it though. She knew something wasn't right and the word, _Wonderland_, flashed in big red letters in her mind when she thought about her mother's body lying on a cold metal gurney. "Hatter…" she began in a desperate, pleading voice. "Will you please ask Charlie if he really killed all those men that had rebelled against us?"

"You want me to go to Wonderland?" he asked in disbelief.

"Please. I have to know if they all were really killed that day!" He looked unconvinced and tears started to form in her eyes again. Maybe it was from the pain of losing her mother or maybe from her condition of being more emotional than normal; she didn't know. But Alice almost felt defeated. She tried one more time. "I won't be able to sleep at night unless I know the truth, Hatter. I need to know if this has something to do with what happened in Wonderland."

After a moment, Hatter sighed harshly, "If I do this…will you promise to stay out of this and not go looking for Carol's killer? I can't lose you Alice. You're all I've got too."

She attempted to gulp the lump in her throat and felt it rise back up. Alice hadn't thought of it that way. They really were the same now; alone in this world with no one but each other to care for. "I promise I won't go looking for her killer if you do this for me."

He rubbed his face and squeezed his eyes for a moment before agreeing. He looked tired and as warn as she, but Hatter had promised to go to Wonderland and Alice knew he wouldn't back down on his promise. And neither would she. Alice had no intentions of going after a murderer, but she definitely planned on getting more answers from McCarthy though. Besides she had more than just herself to think about, now there was a little person growing inside her. A feeling of warmth seized her body at the thought.

Alice had been so wrapped up with her mother's death that she'd completely forgotten about telling Hatter he was going to be a father. As she lay on his hard body full with tension and stress of what Alice was asking of him, there was no way she could tell him right now. This day had been too long and nerve-racking for both of them and she didn't want him to blow a fuse. No, Alice would wait and tell him as soon as he returned from Wonderland. Best to have only one shock a day. Or at least in his case, she grimaced.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"Ten-thirty tomorrow. I've got it, thanks," Alice said hanging up the phone with McCarthy. He wanted her to come back to the precinct to ask her some things about her mother tomorrow morning. Perfect, because she had some questions of her own. Like what the heck this burglar _supposedly_ stole besides her mother's life. That sort of thing.

It was getting dark outside and Alice hoped Hatter made it through the Looking Glass to Wonderland okay. At first he was reluctant to leave her, but Alice assured him she'd be fine. She was just going to stay in bed for the rest of the evening and watch television, which satisfied him.

Hatter had been gone now for half an hour and in Wonderland time that could be a day for all she knew. Things were so bizarre in that world, and if spent enough time there as she had, those things began making sense. And that was bizarre on its own.

Hatter probably wouldn't be gone but a few more hours, which eased her mind minutely, even though she didn't think her mind would ever be at ease until her mother's killer was caught.

Alice flipped through the channels trying to find something of interest, coming up with nothing. The only thing America liked to watch in the evenings was reality shows and Alice just couldn't get in to any of them. Not that sitting in front of a TV was very appealing to begin with. Alice would much rather be up and doing something, working out, training or running errands. Tonight was not one of those nights, however. Her mother's lifeless face kept reappearing in her mind no matter what Alice tried to use as a distraction, fighting back the tears as they reclaimed her.

As soon as Alice switched the annoying American girl traveling to Russia with her sister on the television off, the sound of a cry from a door hinge startled Alice out of her bed. Her heart was pounding in her throat. But she beat the sensation back. It could just be Hatter returning from Wonderland. "Hatter!" she called. No one answered. That wasn't like him not to respond.

She walked hesitantly up to the bedroom door and peered out, listening for further abnormal noises. The forayer light was lit, but everywhere else was blanketed with darkness. Alice didn't dare go traipsing around a dark house alone. Perhaps it'd be best to wait for Hatter to return. But if she waited and someone was there, wouldn't that give them the opportunity to murder her?

For goodness sake, she thought. The doors were locked, she was alone, the lights were out and her mind was just playing tricks on her in light of what had happened recently. The stress was getting to her. That's all.

However, Alice wasn't an idiot. So she grabbed the cordless phone along with McCarthy's number, just in case and headed for the stairs. The bronze dead bolt on the front door was still locked when she reached the bottom; nothing seemed out of place either. She walked around the ground floor flipping lights as she went and noticed all windows were in tack as well—even lifting on them some to make sure they were latched. Although, she would have heard a window breaking if the murderer had wanted to enter that way.

A sweet breath of relief escaped Alice as she turned towards the kitchen where the back door was located. Flipping that light on, it too remained locked as she left it. Alice quickly sat down at the black sleek round table in front of the bay windows to rest a moment. Her body was changing quicker than she thought it would. Most mornings she felt a little queasy and assumed it had been from working too much at the dojo and would skip breakfast, but now she realized it had been morning sickness from the pregnancy. She grew tired much faster now too. Even the smallest things would wear her down like she was a tattered old boot.

After sitting a moment, she contemplated making herself some coffee, because there was no way she'd sleep with Hatter gone. Besides, she wasn't tired.

Then she tried to think of what could have made that squeaking sound. At first she had thought it was a door hinge making the noise, but now she wasn't so sure. It could have just been the boards in the floor creaking. This was an older home, she mused.

But then she realized the boards hadn't made any noises while she walked around on them earlier. Wouldn't her weight have forced a creak out of them?

Huffing with resignation she'd never figure it out, Alice stood up to fix her some coffee when she noticed a smoky round object the size of a half-dollar, nestled into her center piece on the table. It stood out like a sore thumb next to the tiger-lilies and bright buttercup flowers held in a glass vase with shards of glass pieces glittering inside it. Carol had put it together one evening and gave it as a gift to brighten her kitchen up. Now it felt like an odious reminder of what Alice had lost.

She leaned her weight on the table to reach through the stems to retrieve the object somehow wedged in the flowers, when the table made a horrible whine she'd never heard before.

Alice nearly dropped whatever the thing was from her hands shaking so bad. It had been the table making that noise! Someone had been here to put this item in the vase of flowers. But why? What was it?

When she stared down at the round thing in her hand, Alice noticed it had been burned from the odd shape it now resembled like a crumpled pear. A small metal loop hung from the tip, which must have been where it connected to a gold or silver chain. It was a burnt piece of jewelry. At one time it might have been a lovely amulet like the ones her mother used to wear. Just then it dawned on Alice, what if this was one of her mother's? Had the killer been here tonight and left this for her to find? As what; a warning?

Alice could feel the nausea churning in her stomach and raced to the bathroom under the stairs. Lord help her, it had to be a warning. Was he going to come after her next?

If only Hatter were here, he'd know what to do. But he wasn't because she'd sent him away on some silly hunch her mother's killer had been from Wonderland. Now the idea she might have been wrong pelted her mind over and over like a steel mallet. What if this was just someone else with a vengeance towards her family? Had her father done something to piss someone off in his past before he'd been taken through the Looking Glass? Possibly, but there were just too many questions bombarding her all at once to figure anything out right now. Alice didn't know what was truth and what was just guess work.

But there was one question that had her utterly stumped, if all the doors and windows were locked, how did the killer get in and better yet, back out?

A swift chill raced her body and Alice thought about shutting the door and locking herself in the bathroom from the ghosts that apparently were haunting her. But what good would that do when locked doors were no matter to this killer. She might as well walk out the front door and holler, "Come get me!" for all the good sitting inside did her.

Alice still clasped the small burnt amulet and held it up into the light, hoping that this was all a misunderstanding on her part. If Alice examined the amulet thoroughly perhaps she'd find it wasn't her mother's and it had landed in her flower arrangement by accident somehow from someone else. Yeah right. Bits of amber celadon shown through where black smudges wiped away in places, sticking to Alice's fingers instead. The parts that were distorted had a vulgar, ugliness to them making Alice wonder what had happened to it. If this was her mother's amulet then why was it burned? There hadn't been a fire when Carol was killed that Alice knew of.

All the unanswered questions and scary game of cat and mouse this killer was trying to play was giving Alice a serious migraine. If somebody was going to kill her, she wished he'd just show up already and try his damndest. Alice had been through too much in her life to go without a teeth baring, snarling fight.

The bathroom door flung open and Alice screamed as a hand grabbed her arm yanking her off the floor she'd slunk down on from exhaustion. "No!" she yelled, kicking and punching every bit of flesh she could connect with. So he was still in the house, she thought.

The man grunted and pulled away from her flailing arms, stepping into the light of the bathroom in the hall, "What in God's name woman are you doing?"

Stopping herself from throwing another punch near the man's face, Alice stood in shock a moment to see an anxious Hatter hesitating before her.

"Hatter!" she yelled and fell into his arms. "I thought you were…" Tears were rolling down her cheeks again. Damn them. Alice hated crying, but she couldn't help it. For a moment she thought the killer had come for her.

"Alice," he started. She hugged him once more overwhelmed and relieved to no end it was Hatter instead, but wanted to make sure he was truly standing in front of her, flesh and all. It was one-hundred percent him and she could smell the woodsy scent of moss and dirt that reminded her of the Wonderland forests, where Charlie lived.

Hatter pulled her away at arm's length and said, "We need to talk." His expression was serious, but not so much worried. Alice wondered what he'd found out on his trip. But she also wanted to tell him about the killer's little gift he'd left her. Wouldn't he be surprised to find out someone was really after her like she thought. They had to be. The amulet was proof. Right?

_AN/ This chapter took me awhile because I needed to work out some details. I'm not sure if I'm happy with it, but I would have never posted it if I just kept thinking about how to make it better, which would be horrible for you. Haha but I need to make sure I have everything right in order for things to make sense later. Does that make sense? lol Anyways, thank you so much for the reviews! Some made me laugh so hard :). Hope this chapter didn't drive you too crazy...you know how I love to leave you guys hanging ;) ~Eisac_


	5. Chapter 5

_AN/ Okay guys. I'm sooooo sorry this took forever to post. When my job started it was a new store and I was working 12 to 13 hr shifts and then 8 hr shifts after that. I was so exhausted I couldn't do anything, but lay on my heating pad at night. Haha. But everything is slowing back down now and I'm able to write more now. So, I've made notes for the next few chapters and hopefully will get them up quicker. I'm sorry if I upset anyone. This chapter turned out better than I hoped in ways. Hope you like it. Okay get to reading and I'll get to typing! ~Eisac_

Chapter Five

Hatter was worried. Not about what he'd found out in Wonderland, but for Alice. Her behavior was becoming irrational and upsetting…to both of them. She was filling her own head with all these theories her mother's death was something more than it was and after talking to Charlie, this was the last straw for Hatter. There wasn't anyone in Wonderland after Alice. And he really didn't know how to tell her without upsetting the woman further. It was clear by the condition he'd found her in on the bathroom floor, Alice was not likely to take this new information with grace.

Even though it had only been an hour in the real world, it had been almost a whole day in Wonderland and Hatter was utterly exhausted. Charlie had taken him out around the forest showing him the place the Jabberwocky had rid Wonderland of its rebels. There were some remains, but not much left after the jowls of the Jabberwock got his teeth into them. Hatter felt the need to leave out the gruesome details in light of the situation. He'd convinced Alice to move to their bedroom to discuss this.

This was not going to be easy.

Alice looked white as a sheet even in her light pink nightgown and shaky as he forced her to lie down on the bed. He walked around to the other side and plopped down, slipping each shoe off and swinging his legs onto the mattress next to Alice. She waited for him to speak without taking her wide strained eyes off him. Hatter knew she was going to be disappointed, but there was no getting around it.

"Alice, no one is after you sweetheart. No one killed your mother because of what happened a year ago. It's all in your head."

She was more than disappointed, more like determined not to believe him. "I thought you were going to say that."

Sitting up, Alice folded her arms and looked away, "I'm not so sure the killer was from Wonderland, but I do know he is after me. And you're in danger too Hatter."

Hatter rubbed the skin of her arm where chill bumps raised her soft blonde hairs. He could sense her unnecessary fear and wished there was some way to convince her there was no reason for this. "Alice, you're just upset about your mother and your mind is trying to make logical sense of her death. Please understand…we aren't in danger honey."

She didn't look at him. She didn't speak. Alice just sat there, gazing ahead towards the silent black screen of the television with her hands now clasped together in her lap, like a child trapping a bug.

"What have you got there?" he asked, tugging her arm.

Alice opened her hand and placed the object in his own. It was an odd shaped stone of some sort, black in some places, a yellow-brown in others. "What is it?"

Alice looked him dead in the face now and said, "A present from the killer."

His pulse jolted from the way she said _present_ like the guy was going to pop out any second. Hatter glanced around their room and down the hall, then back to her, "What do you mean present? Where did you get this Alice?"

"The killer left it on the kitchen table. It was hers, Hatter. He left it as a warning. And I'm next."

Despite how crazy all this sounded, fear bubbled up in the back of Hatter's mind. Alice was not going to be murdered like her mother. He wouldn't let that happen. "Stop saying things like that! Nothing is going to happen to you!"

Instinctively, he moved closer to her side and examined the amulet with more apprehension. He just didn't understand what was going on. Hatter wanted with everything in him to be right. If he wasn't that meant Alice was in grave peril and Hatter didn't know if he could handle that.

"It was my mother's Hatter," she said softly.

No. He wouldn't believe it. The house was locked up and fine when he got home tonight. She must have just left this in the kitchen without remembering. "You probably had this and just forgot about it."

Alice made a harsh exhale and jumped up from the bed, "No I didn't!" She stormed off into the master bath, locking the door before Hatter could say anything.

His head fell back against the pillow. He didn't want to tick Alice off, but this killer business just seemed too farfetched. Maybe there was some truth in what she believed, but it just wasn't plausible.

Hatter glanced at the clock and saw it was almost three in the morning. Time for work would be here in a matter of hours and Hatter couldn't think of a reason to cancel going in except for the very angry woman locked in the bathroom. But if he stayed home with her tomorrow, that would encourage her to think Hatter agreed someone was after her. And really he didn't.

Perhaps after work he'd have another talk with McCarthy; someone who was used to dealing with these kinds of situations. Perhaps he would explain to Alice she wasn't thinking straight. Or perhaps McCarthy would tell him, _he_ wasn't thinking straight. If that be the case, he'd convince McCarthy to keep an eye on her for him. Alice was his world and it was his job to protect her, even if that meant from herself.

oo

Alice could not believe him! Hatter—of all people that came from a fairytale land!—could not take her seriously. Even with evidence plain as day, Hatter refused to believe the killer was coming for them.

She wiped her face once more, trying to stop crying long enough to get her composure back to leave the bathroom. That wasn't likely to happen any time soon. Maybe Alice would run herself a steaming bath with soothing lilac crystals. Anything to calm herself down. Hatter just made her so mad…

She'd show him. She'll prove someone really is after her and when she does, Hatter will be sorry he never listened to her.

oo

The next morning Alice was sitting in the lobby area at the Mission Station by ten a.m., even though McCarthy had told her ten thirty. If she was going to prove Hatter wrong, Alice needed to get more information from the detective and she didn't want to wait any longer.

When she had come out from her long soak in the bathroom last night, Hatter was asleep on his side lightly snoring. It didn't matter what position Alice tried she just couldn't get comfortable. Thousands of questions running through her head and not one she knew how to answer.

Well, she planned on getting a few of those answers from McCarthy. Mrs. Price or Sal was sitting behind her tall counter answering phone calls as usual, but Alice could only see a few graying curls above the countertop from her position across the room. The rest of Sal's body was hidden. Her strong, pleasant voice carried throughout the room. Someone had called for McCarthy, but he wasn't here yet. The same thing the woman had told Alice; "McCarthy is working a case, he'll return shortly. If you'll just have a seat…"

Yes, but Alice needed to see him now. Hatter's life, her life, the life inside her depended on it.

She couldn't take this waiting. Alice jumped from her seat and began pacing in front of a row of burgundy cushioned chairs with brown stains in the seats, which only made her nerves vibrate faster through her body. In the back of her mind, she knew all this stressing wasn't good for the baby, but of course something like a murder had to happen now and like always she'd deal with it as best to her ability. _With or without Hatter_, she grimaced.

"Miss Hamilton?" Mrs. Price said, half standing above her seat.

Alice rushed over to the counter. "Yes?"

"McCarthy will see you now. He's in his office."

Had she missed his entrance? Alice glanced at the front doors in confusion, which Mrs. Price noticed. "There is a side entrance for police to enter, especially when the front is immersed with press and camera crew. You can go on ahead, dear. It's the third door on the right."

"Thank you," Alice said and left the counter.

"Yeah, I want one more run through and then we can give it over to the cleaners," McCarthy yapped into the phone. He pulled the twisted cord around before settling the phone in its base.

"Miss Hamilton! Please come in," he popped up from his chair and motioned her to join him. "I've been meaning to call you and see how you're holding up."

Alice stepped inside his office; vaguely remembering lying on the small cot nestled against the wall and avoided it by sitting down in one of the chairs instead. "Um…I've been better," she confessed.

"Yes, I can imagine. I'm sorry for your loss, Miss. Please, if there is anything I can do to make this easier, just let me know alright?"

Nodding her head, Alice cleared her tight throat. She'd been eager to question him for a couple days and now that she was finally here, Alice couldn't get her mind or mouth to function properly. "Actually…I would like to ask you a few things, if that's okay."

He studied her a moment and decided to himself, "Okay."

McCarthy was hesitant. Probably rightly so; he'd been through situations of this nature before. There was no telling what kind of questions he'd been asked over the years by desperate families seeking closer. Well, Alice was almost certainly going to be icing on the cake.

"I…" Alice thought a moment, which question to ask first. Should she mention the amulet the killer left? Would he believe her if she told him? Alice mentally shook her head; he'd react just as Hatter had. She was sure of it. It sounded insane to her; God only knew how she'd sound to a detective.

So, Alice started out on a reasonable question. "Can you tell me what exactly this person was after in my mother's apartment?"

That was definitely a question that had been flummoxing her from the beginning. McCarthy grabbed a folder off a pile of many and rummaged through the pages until he found what he was after. "Some jewelry, a few sterling silver trinkets, anything small that could be easily carried out. We won't be able to confirm everything taken without a list from you. You are the only one who knows what Mrs. Hamilton had in her possession. But the apartment is still under investigation. I'll call you when it's necessary, but right now you need to worry about your mother. Forensics has gathered what they need and her body will be released tomorrow. So, funeral arrangements need to be made."

Alice hated to think of doing this part, but he was right. Carol had made arrangements long ago with her lawyer just after her father disappeared, if something were to happen to her. Carol wanted to make sure Alice was taken care of and wouldn't have to worry about much of anything. _Dammit all to hell_, Alice had hoped it wouldn't have been necessary so soon.

Alice should have called Carol's lawyer, Greg Ortiz, yesterday and got the ball rolling, but had been too preoccupied with everything else. But she'd get that done today, if she could. Carol had told her she'd only have to worry about signing a few documents and everything else would fall into place. She had been such an organized, smart, independent woman. And now she was gone.

The tears that welled up were as if being drawn from a bottomless well. She knew her eyes had to be puffy already, and now they would only get worse if she didn't control her emotions.

McCarthy stood up and walked around his desk, kneeling down before her chair. It was startling, but not in an uncomfortable, invading way. He was such a nice, caring man. Alice didn't understand how he did his job day after day, seeing so many deaths and keeping his compassion intact. "Hey now. It's going to be okay. I promise we are doing everything in our power to catch this guy and your mother will not die in vain." He held her face as she sniffed and avoided his gaze. "Alice," he said using her first name perhaps the first time. "Look at me."

She did. His rough voice was too compelling not to. "I won't let this guy get away."

His raging determination was so fierce Alice shivered when she saw it in his icy grey eyes with a touch of olive green in the centers. There was no doubt in her mind, McCarthy spoke nothing but the truth. "Thank you," she sighed.

McCarthy released her face and pulled out a handkerchief from his left back pocket, handing it to her. "I didn't think anyone still used these," she smiled blotting her eyes with it.

He laughed, "Call me old fashioned."

Alice exhaled and clutched the cloth in her nervous hands, "There is something I need from you detective."

He didn't move, "Yes?"

"I can't exactly say what's going on just yet, but it's imperative I see my mother's apartment…as soon as possible."

McCarthy was instantly alert, "What is it you know?" He rose from the floor, towering over her.

Alice wasn't intimidated. Not by him at least. This man was too compassionate to have made her frightened now. "If I find what I'm looking for I'll explain everything."

"And if you don't?" he asked.

"Then I'm jumping to silly conclusions and I'll leave you to your investigation."

Normally, she was sure a detective wouldn't agree to such an unusual, suspicious request and demand to know what she was hiding, but for some reason he agreed to take her there. "Give me a few hours. Two o'clock okay?"

"Perfect," Alice said. "I'll have time to contact my mother's lawyer about her funeral arrangements. She had already set them up years ago."

He nodded his head, "Fine. I'll meet you there. Or would you rather I pick you up?"

"No, meeting is fine with me." Alice really didn't care either way as long as she got to see the apartment, but driving herself seemed like it would be faster. And she wanted to get a look at her mother's stuff to see what else was missing or if there was something else that could explain how her mother's amulet got inside Alice's house. There was not telling what McCarthy was thinking, but for some reason he went along with Alice's plan and right now that was good enough for her.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

McCarthy watched Alice Hamilton slip from his office as he sat down and leaned back in his chair. Normally, his gut instincts were right on the money and right now his gut was telling him there was something else going on with the Hamilton case he and his men were missing. And he had a feeling Alice knew exactly what that something was.

He noticed right from the beginning. When McCarthy had told Alice of her mother's murder, the common reactions are shock and sadness, but he'd also sensed fear from her that was not a normal emotion. It was true some families struggled with fear of losing the remaining people they loved the same way, but with Alice it was different. She was scared out of her mind for her own safety and that put his cop instincts on red alert.

Secretly, he'd had a car driven by her place throughout the day just to make sure nothing looked out of the ordinary. So far it seemed fine, but the way Alice spoke as if she knew what the killer was after, made the hairs on his arms stick straight out. This was probably one of the strangest cases McCarthy has had in several years.

One of the things that really bothered McCarthy most—more so than the violent murder itself—was the fact that any background check he'd done on this David Hatter came up zilch. The guy just didn't exist until last year, period. And that put McCarthy on edge too.

"David" seemed worried about Alice and had made all the right reactions and responses to McCarthy's questions, but in this day and age, good actors come by the thousands. He didn't trust him. Who was this man? What was his real name?

And it wasn't really protocol to bring the vic's family to the crime scene either, but McCarthy had a hunch Alice would be able to spot what he felt was missing from this case. The motive seemed off…as if the burglary was only to distract the police from the real crime. His reason was to target Carol; McCarthy could feel it all the way down to his toes, and Alice knew why she was killed.

Well, he'd let this guessing game play out and see what the girl knew. If he was going to catch this psycho, McCarthy had a feeling he was going to need Alice Hamilton to do it. She was the key.

oo

Alice hung up the phone with Mr. Ortiz. She'd set up a meeting with him for the next day to sign all the legal documents, funeral arrangements, etc. He was very remorseful about her mother's death and knew this was a difficult time for her. Mr. Ortiz even offered to come directly to her house to avoid any inconveniences on her schedule. The thing was…Alice really didn't have a schedule except meeting up with detective McCarthy later.

When she'd phoned her work, the owner of the dojo, Larry, told her to take a couple weeks off. He could only give her a week's paid vacation and the rest were to be taken as sick days, but honestly Alice didn't mind. She knew Larry would give her extra hours later to make up the lost time. And she was grateful he cared enough to force her to take time for herself. But Alice wasn't one to just sit around and mourn. This would give her the freedom and be the perfect time to have her own little investigation.

She grabbed her keys off the hook rack by the door and marched outside to her car. The trip would take about ten minutes to get to her mother's apartment, but finding a parking place would be a problem. The building did have a small parking deck underneath, but you have to be a resident to park there. She remembered the security guy that works the day shift and hoped he'd remember her and let her park there for a few hours.

Alice was going to need time to search the place as thoroughly as the detective would allow her, because technically she wasn't supposed to be there. But there were clues to find.

oo

"Just watch where you step okay? Forensics has gathered all the evidence pertaining to the case, but if you find something off in here, I want my team able to come and collect without contamination." McCarthy unlocked the grey front door to her mother's apartment. A task Alice had done a thousand times before and never believing one day she'd be dreading to see the inside. Her hands were clammy; she wiped them on her jeans before following McCarthy into the room.

Alice wasn't sure if she'd be able to handle her mother's blood spatter, only just thinking of that now. She hoped it didn't look like a scene from a Wes Craven movie. The last thing she wanted was to walk into a room with red droplets slung everywhere.

After taking a deep breath, Alice lifted her head and glanced hesitantly around the living room. A breath of relief came when she saw no blood on the walls or ceiling. In fact, Alice didn't see blood anywhere.

McCarthy must have known what she was thinking because he turned around and told her, "There was just a struggle in here, but your mother was taken to the kitchen for the end." He'd tried to say it delicately, which Alice appreciated very much.

There was no way she'd be able to go into that room ever, but the rest of the apartment would be okay to handle. She took another shaky breath and slowly walked around the living room. Vases were broken or lying on the floor in pieces, picture frames knocked over. A chair was tipped over backwards. A few other things moved aggressively out of place. Carol must have put up a fight right until the end, Alice thought proudly of her mother. If only Carol would have taken her defense classes, she might be alive.

McCarthy cleared his throat and pointed to her mother's bedroom. "That's where he stole most of her belongings."

Alice moved into the dark bedroom and flipped a light on. The wine colored chiffon bed was still in tacked and perfectly made. But the drawers contents of her dresser were haphazardly strewn everywhere on the floor. Some articles of clothing hanging off the sides. Alice noticed the bedroom closet was also ajar with clothes blocking the doorway. That's where Carol had kept her jewelry. In a tall case that stood on its own; a present Alice and Hatter had given her last year.

Before Alice even entered the small room, she smelt the aroma of burnt fabric. She could almost taste the smoky flavor as if licking a charred stick. The jewelry stand was open and there was some missing, but there was only one small drawer open at the bottom where her mother kept her different types of amulets. And below the stand on the floor was a dark, singed area of the carpet. The small twirls of fibers were down to the nubs and Alice could even see the burnt wood underneath.

Her throat closed up. The more she tried to suck air into her tight lungs, the harder it became. Her head felt light as waves of dizziness hit her hard, just as before when she'd seen her mother's lifeless face. It was the killer that had left her the chard amulet. He had been in her house. And he _was_ after her too.

Suddenly, the room didn't want to stay still and McCarthy had to grab Alice's arm and lead her to the sit on the bed before she dropped to the floor like a swatted fly.

"I thought you might know what that burn in the closet was about," he said.

Alice glanced up to his face, not very shocked McCarthy would be so perceptive. He was a detective after all. Probably the only reason he let Alice come to the apartment was because of his awareness she knew more than she was telling.

"I don't know who's doing this, but I do know why," she said in a shaky voice. Her hands were trembling, but she kept them clasped firmly in her lap.

"You can tell me anything, Alice." And she would. Maybe now somebody would believe her. A killer was coming for her.

_AN/ What do you think? Im having to take notes for future chapters so I know what to do and what not to do in these chapters now. lol It's getting confusing a bit, but gotta love foreshadowing. ;) ~Eisac_


	7. Chapter 7

_AN/ Sorry this took a lifetime to post. I've been very busy and plus I had a funeral to go to and tons of christmas shopping and decorating, working retail during holidays. Just a chaotic mess, which I'm sure you are in the same situation. But don't worry I won't abandon this story. I've already started a few pages of the next chapter. I know I say this all the time, but I'm going to try my best to get chapters to you faster. Besides it's harder to come up with ideas when you've been away awhile. Anyways...on with the story. ~Eisac_

Chapter Seven

McCarthy had sat next to her on the bed and waited patiently for Alice to say something; which took her a moment considering she was having trouble keeping her stomach from purging. At this rate the baby would never get any nutrients, she groaned.

Her pants leg was almost burning, as she thought about the amulet tucked away snug at her hip. It only took a moment for her to decide to show him. She stood to lose everything, including her own life and having a hurt ego, if this detective didn't believe her, would be minimal in comparison.

Alice reached down inside her pocket and pulled the amulet out. She held the warm gem and closed her eyes, rocking back and forth slightly. Her mother's cold, dead face kept popping in her mind and what it'd be like lying on a metal slab next to her. Alice didn't want to find out.

Dropping it into McCarthy's hand, she didn't say anything because she knew he'd figure it out quick.

He didn't disappoint her. "The killer left you this, didn't he?"

She nodded her head and let the few tears she'd been holding back free. Her tongue felt paralyzed, but she worked it around in her mouth hoping that would help her to speak. "David t-thinks I'm overreacting. Is that what you think I'm doing?"

The detective sat quietly beside her a moment, examining the amulet, flipping it one way and turning it another. He stood up, walked to the closet and squatted over the burn mark. His brow furrowed as he rubbed his stubble chin back and forth. "Miss Hamilton…"

He stood back up and faced Alice on the bed instead of sitting back down beside her. She craned her neck up to him, "Yes?"

"You're obviously in some kind of trouble…" he began.

"Trouble?" Alice knew it was true, but the way he spoke as though he knew who was causing it made her slightly panic.

"Yes…and I know David is involved. Are you aware he isn't who he says he is?"

Her slight panic went to full blown hysteria. "No! No! You've got this all wrong. David isn't the guilty one here. The killer is after me! You have to find _him_!" She snagged his hand with both of hers, pleading.

"I'm trying Miss, but when your boyfriend's background shows up as blank, I have reason to suspect he's involved in this somehow. If he had anything to do with your mother's death, I'll find it."

She shook her head over and over, "Please no…" Alice quickly thought up a lie to explain his missing background, but regretted it as soon as it left her mouth. "He's had his identity changed for protection."

"Protection?" His eyebrow raised in suspicion. "From what?"

Alice had already starting digging herself a nice size grave and wasn't sure if she should start shoveling the next foot or not. Lying to a cop sent a red flag waving around in her head, but there was no getting around it. Hell, even if she told him some great big story about how he was running from some mob or insane person that was supposedly a friend and they'd changed his name to keep him safe, McCarthy would be able to check the story out and not to mention he would demand Hatters real name.

Alice decided to stick as close to the truth as possible. "Okay, he isn't from this country." Thank God for Hatter's accent. "His home is far from here and he and his family don't see eye to eye. He just wants a normal happy life and I'm trying to help make that happen."

"So you're trying to make his stay in this country legal?" McCarthy ran his tongue across his dry bottom lip and waited with wariness.

Alice pinched the bridge of her nose and rubbed her eyelids hard. They were so puffy and sore; she felt a migraine starting to pulse behind them. "It's not like that. I love David and we are going to start a family. Sooner than I thought," she mused to herself.

For some reason, McCarthy didn't push the subject anymore than that. Alice was expecting him too and was already coming up with a further explanation, but he'd thrown her off guard. "Miss Hamilton…Listen, I know something is going on here. I know your mother's death has something to do with you and I can even smell the fear radiating off of you. Now, if you or your boyfriend is in some kind of danger…you can tell me. Let me help you, Alice."

He'd used her first name again, making it harder and harder to keep the truth to herself. He seemed like such a caring, do-gooder type of man.

"Look, I can't tell you what's going on or who is doing this," she said with exasperation. "But I do know that this is not over by a long shot and I'm going to need your help."

McCarthy straightened his posture, "Name it and we'll figure this out."

oo

The next morning Alice began dressing for Mr. Ortiz's arrival to discuss the funeral and other finalities, he called them. Detective McCarthy had given her strict instructions not to leave the house for any reason, but if she did Alice was to call him to send a dispatch to tail her. Not to mention the badge sitting outside three blocks down, making rounds through the neighborhood. Precautions, right? It felt more like an at home prison sentence with McCarthy as her ward.

Alice knew he wasn't fully satisfied with her answers about Hatter's identity and the detective would be digging further into that. She shivered knowing exactly what he'd find…nothing. Alice didn't know how in the hell she was going to explain it. She'd already lied about Hatter's past. Although, technically the part about him coming from another country was in fact true. Wonderland is not in the United States.

And speaking of Hatter, Alice wasn't sure what to do. He'd returned late that evening from work, not speaking to her, going directly to bed and then left again early this morning…so she wasn't able to tell him he was supposed to be commuting with a police escort. Despite his safety issue, Alice was afraid Hatter would flip a lid if he found out what she'd been discussing with the police behind his back. According to him, she was just overreacting. If there was any matter of mercy in this world, Alice was.

There was no way she was going to tell Hatter about McCarthy's interest in him or the fact he doesn't really exist in their system, which puts cops on alert. She should, but the last thing she wanted for David was to piss him off royally. Besides if worst came to worst, they could always escape to Wonderland and shack up with Charlie in the woods or Jack in the manor, or even Drew in the Red Kingdom…although that would make Alice a little uneasy, truth be told.

As soon as she finished slipping on her navy house shoes, that looked more like real mary-jane slip ons, someone knocked loudly on her front door. More like pounded. Alice couldn't remember Mr. Ortiz having large enough hands to make that kind of sound. He was stout, but a small man with a shiny bald head that bounced when he walked. What he lacked in size, he accommodated with a superior attitude and self-assertion. If she hadn't have known him for years, Alice wouldn't have wanted to deal with the man. He could be intimidating in his own right.

Another pound on the door, this one with more force. Alice was down the stairs and on the other side now. Yeah, it couldn't have been Mr. Ortiz. The pound was high on the door and urgent. If it wasn't her family's lawyer, than who was outside her door?

Before she let herself panic, a man's voice hollered through the wood. "Miss Hamilton! It's Officer Burk. I've been placed in charge by Detective McCarthy to keep an eye on your house. Please open the door!"

Just by the fact he called McCarthy by name made Alice felt better, but was still semi-wary opening the door. Even if this was a ruse, she'd been in much worse situations before. She did as she was told and tried not to laugh at the sight she saw after pulling the door back.

The incredibly large built officer had poor Mr. Ortiz held by the collar, his face was turning beet red from anger or embarrassment, but he was definitely about to start swinging his briefcase any moment if this Officer Burk didn't unhand him.

"Do you know this man, Miss?" Burk's "too big for his face" sunglasses, pink chewing gum and black cop uniform made him look like he was auditioning for a B-movie in Hollywood. If Alice was judging she wouldn't have given him the part. This man had cliché written all over him; buff as a linebacker and probably with as much brains as a goldfish.

"This is my lawyer, Mr. Ortiz, Officer. If you would kindly unhand him, I'd much appreciate it," Alice stated slowly for his sake.

He apparently didn't particularly care for the sarcasm because he simply grunted, dropping his hand from Mr. Ortiz' collar and turned to march down the couple concrete steps. He didn't turn back around, but merely yelled over his shoulder, "If you need help, dial 911."

Right, she thought. How heroic? Someone polish his purple heart, please.

"Well, I never… Big ogre…" Mr. Ortiz mumbled under his breath as he straightened his shirt and jacket as he entered. "How are you holding up Alice?"

"Okay," she sighed and led him to the living room. "To be honest, Mr. Ortiz, I want to get this over with. The more I have to deal with, the more real her death seems."

He nodded his round, shiny head. "It's tough losing people we love, especially someone as wonderful as Carol was." Deep staccato laughs busted from Ortiz making Alice raise her brow, "She was certainly a worthy woman in my book…never took any of my hogwash, to boot."

Alice watched him set his briefcase on the table in front of the couch and pull a small stack of papers out. "Would you like some coffee or lemon snap tea?" She really didn't want to make his stay any longer than it had to be, but Alice felt inhospitable if she didn't offer the man at least a drink.

"Coffee please. And make it black, four sugars. None of that capp-o-ccino crap. We might be here a lick."

Alice grimaced and headed for the kitchen. Her head was already hurting, but she'd get through this just as she had everything else so far.

Mr. Ortiz finally left after three long hours past. Alice's head was now on to a full blown migraine and her eyes were throbbing. She hadn't heard anymore from that ogre cop and was thankful for at least that. Ortiz had been amusing at times and annoying others, but she'd signed every necessary line, crossed her t's and dotted her i's and discussed further business that would need to be handled at a later date…such as Carol's will. The good news was Ortiz would be able to handle most of the paperwork at his office _without_ Alice present. All she would need to do is show up to his office to sign finalized documents and get a list of everything left to her by her mother. "Simple enough", he'd said.

Yeah right, she sighed. This had been a long day and all she felt like doing was lying down. But she knew she wouldn't sleep if she did.

Alice had also received a phone call from the detective saying they were releasing her mother's body tomorrow…so her funeral was schedule for that afternoon. The sooner the better. Ortiz agreed.

The only thing left really bothering her was Hatter. Alice figured he was still angry with her or annoyed… or whatever. She wished he wasn't. Alice really needed him right now. Just him holding her would make her feel a million times better. If only.


	8. Chapter 8

_AN/ Hey! Hope everyone had/having wonderful holidays. I know I have! Been busy of course. Have some plans soon. You will be excited and nervous for these characters. Pls be patient with me. I know I haven't been getting chapters out like I should, but will work on that. Onward! ~Eisac _

Chapter Eight

Alice stared at the beautiful sliver casket with intricate metal rods down either side for the pallbearers grasp, a criss cross metal stand held it up from the ground, and white and pink roses, chrysanthemums, and other type flowers rested atop the closed lid like a fresh mountain. Of course it would be close lid. Not necessarily because her mother's body was too gruesome; it was more for her wishes in life.

Carol always believed after someone died, their body was nothing more than an empty shell of the person and therefore, didn't feel comfortable letting everyone see her empty shell. "It's like having people stare at you in your panties," Carol would have laughed. Alice wasn't laughing now. She wanted too, but she just couldn't. The memories hurt too much, knowing there wouldn't be any more to add to them.

Her whole body felt numb, including her brain. Alice moved through life in a fog that hovered around her head at all times. The only thing she could do was hold on tightly to the three white crumpled tissues people kept handing her, expecting her to bust out crying any second. The truth was…Alice had cried so much over the last couple days; her tear ducts were as dry as an Arizona desert in the summer.

Hatter stood close to her right, quiet and staring at the coffin as well. They'd actually spoken to each other the night before when he returned home from work, to Alice's amazement. He'd given her some credit for her fears, but there was still an unspoken distance between them, as if something was bothering him. Alice asked Hatter multiple times what was wrong, but he would merely shake his head and go about his business. She wasn't certain if it had something to do with the killer or not. Had he left Hatter a warning too?

Alice didn't know, but she wished he'd just come out and say what thorn was stuck in his side already. She had a mind to shake his neck and yell and demand he tell her, but now was not the appropriate time for that kind of meltdown.

She had friends and neighbors to greet and chat with; reminiscing the good times. Alice would rather eat slugs than talk about "good times" with her mother, but she pasted a fake smile and did her daughterly duty one last time.

A good thirty people had shown up to the church and grave site, including Mr. Ortiz, Detective McCarthy and even Officer Burk that looked rather uncomfortable with his surroundings. Huh, something she finally agreed with him about.

She knew Ortiz would be there, because he had been a close friend of the family, but the detective Alice wasn't sure about. She'd greeted him once when he'd first arrived, but it was brief and the thought of going up to him now to actually speak about killers and such was too nerve-racking. Alice would just have to talk later.

She never really moved further than a few feet from her mother's coffin and neither did Hatter, she thought thankfully. He stuck by her despite his hesitation. And it wasn't until the number of people dwindled from thirty to five, including Hatter and herself, he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "There is a dinner at Olivia's Café afterwards if you want to go. Everyone will understand if you'd rather just go home."

They might be in a discord, but there was no mistake the sincere love and concern written all over Hatter's expression. He still wanted to do all he could for her and if that meant jumping from a bridge to save her he would; or just missing a simple dinner, he would do that too.

Her body instinctively leaned into his. "We'll go soon. I'm hungry anyways."

Alice pressed her fingers to her lips and kissed them lightly before placing her hand down next to the mountain of flowers. They watched patiently as Carol's coffin was lowered into the ground. Alice couldn't contain the single tear that slipped down her cheek as she thought how this was the last sight of her mother she'd ever have and her final goodbye.

As they slowly walked over the uneven grass with stones half buried around the roots of an old Port Jackson Fig to the car, Alice noticed McCarthy half sitting on the hood of Hatter's car, waiting for her. He nodded his head at Hatter and glanced back to Alice. He had obviously waited to speak to them about something other than the funeral and wanted to give her the time deserving of burring her mother without interruption from reality. Alice straightened her shoulders and marched towards the man to face that reality. She would need all the strength she could muster.

oo

McCarthy pushed off the warm metal hood that had been baking under the crisp sun all morning, where he had sat for the last thirty minutes, waiting for the daughter of the victim and her boyfriend to final leave the grave site. It wasn't the ideal time to speak with them, but he had an itch he'd say, or a tickle almost to address the issue with haste.

Whenever a homicide occurred—and he did believe this was with personal interests—you can bet your ass the killer would return to gloat upon his success. One of the real reasons McCarthy had shown up to the funeral, to get a scope of the attendees. It'd been mostly distant relatives, neighbors and co-workers of Carol Hamilton's, but no one that jarred his cop instincts to vigilant.

He watched the crowd closely throughout the ceremony until many dwindled to just the pair now traipsing down the hill stepping out from underneath the shadow of the trees, into the sunlight. Alice had her hair back in a tight pony tail, no make-up, and chin in the air as though not even a detective crashing the funeral could break her spirit. The woman practically screamed tough as steel, firecracker and McCarthy wished half the men on the force, including himself, had that type of personality. They might get more work done that way, but in truth…he wouldn't trade his men for anything. They were hard workers, every last one of them and to do what they do day in and out with the city docking their pay every chance it got on the account of the sucky economy; it was enough constantly stretching their conscious's to the max than demanding more eagerness.

If you asked him, McCarthy would say the man walking next to Alice, David, looked a bit pale and ready to leap in front of a speeding bullet if he had too. After speaking with him over phone two hours the previous night, McCarthy had come to the conclusion David couldn't have been involved in the killing itself, but there was no doubt in his mind David was as much a part of this as Alice. The fact the man has no background still puts McCarthy on edge, but if he understood himself at all, there was no mistaking the honesty he heard in David's voice and not to mention the man's overwhelming urge to protect the vic's daughter.

It had been one of the disagreements they'd had last night. McCarthy made it clear as the vodka in his drink that night they weren't out of this yet; he and Alice were still in danger and it would be in both their interests if they laid low for awhile. McCarthy even went so far as to suggest a safe house for the couple, but David wouldn't hear of it and that was actually pretty lucky for McCarthy because he didn't think he could get the funding for it without proof there was need of such a drastic measure of protection. He could hear the commissioner now, "What in Sam hell do you think you need a safe house for? A robbery gone sour does not advocate a need to protect the rest of the family from this kid or drug addict or whoever obviously just needed some quick cash. Finish this up and sack the killer, McCarthy."

McCarthy understood the pressure the man was under, but there was no quick fix when it came to solving murders. In fact a good half, if not more, remained unsolved. Not that the SFPD couldn't do their job, only life wasn't like the movies. All bad guys aren't hauled to jail while the good guys celebrate and drive off into the sunset. This was reality and McCarthy hated admitting this, but some of the really bad guys, who know their shit and cover their tracks well, generally get away. It's a bitch, but if they play it smart, stay away from the crime scene and maybe even change up their MO once in awhile, they could guarantee a smooth sailing of slashing throats.

"McCarthy," David nodded, but didn't hold out his hand for a shake. So it was going to be like that.

He shrugged his shoulders and responded, "David. Alice."

They stood a moment staring each other down. McCarthy wasn't about to do small talk and ask how they were feeling. He knew damn well how they were feeling. Alice was most likely devastated from her loss. David was worried as hell and anxious that this killer was in fact coming after Alice also. Well, McCarthy wasn't about to play games with them. They needed to be prepared.

"My condolences for your loss, but I'm sure you are aware why I'm here."

Alice spoke up before David could. "Yes, I assume you've come to update us on the investigation."

He made a grunt of acknowledgment. "I've come to warn you," McCarthy clearly addressed David, "to take precautions. I think this killer has only begun to sing and we haven't even reached the chorus yet."

"What do mean?" she asked nervously.

"It means," he said focusing on her, "that you need to watch your step. Don't go anywhere alone; only leave your house if absolutely necessary until this killer is caught. We don't want any more deaths on our hands."

"We understand, Detective," David said wrapping his arm tighter around Alice's waist. The man was practically ready to jump from his skin. McCarthy could see the hives breaking out across his skin. Poor guy. If he had a woman like Alice, McCarthy would be acting the same way. But that would never happen. He'd had his chance at marriage and blew it to Kingdom come. Along with everything he'd ever worked for, house and boat included. Tracey McCarthy (now Tracey Hudson) had taken it all. At the present his life revolved around the job, paycheck to paycheck.

"I'll let you know if we find anything on the guy, but in the mean time watch yourselves."

They nodded their heads and McCarthy turned to leave them to their grievances. He didn't want to intrude more than necessary, but he had a feeling his warnings were necessary.

As soon as he slipped into his own vehicle, Burks didn't give him time to enjoy the warm fresh scent of leather and the cool breeze from the vents. "Did they believe you?" he said, popping a small loud bubble between his cracked wet lips.

"Of course they did," McCarthy said rolling his eyes. "Someone is out to get them and they need to be ready."

"Whatever you say, boss." Burks smacked his gum and leaned back into the seat. McCarthy knew some of the men on his team didn't think this murder was more than exactly what it seemed, a robbery gone sour, but McCarthy knew different. His gut says so.


	9. Chapter 9

_AN/ I'm forcing myself to write more and I know you will like this. ;) I have some good stuff coming hehehe...evil laugh ~Eisac_

Chapter Nine

Hatter watched Alice closely from across the booth at Olivia's Café, where the dinner procession was being held after Carol's funeral. It was more lunch time than dinner, but Hatter didn't complain. Nor did he complain about the constant interruption of mourners and sympathetic friends of Alice's mother that kept approaching their table. One thing Hatter hated about funerals was the fact the people who needed their privacy to grieve most were the ones who were always bombarded and hounded on like royalty at a charity event. It was almost impossible to have a moment's peace.

Right now Hatter had Alice to himself for once and he meant to take advantage of it. As he watched her forcefully swallow a bite of baked potato with melted butter and chives, he thought of how to begin. It wasn't like Alice to ask for butter, much more a starchy food such as a potato; she was very conscious of her health and eating right, but under the circumstances it was good for her to get anything into her system. Not that potatoes are bad.

When Alice's brow creased he couldn't hold back any longer. She was upset and rightfully so, but the look on her face spoke much more than words. Too much was on their plates right now and after speaking with the detective last night and this afternoon, Hatter wanted Alice to know of his plans.

"I think we should get out of here for awhile," he exclaimed.

When Alice dropped her fork with a loud clank onto the ceramic plate and stare up at him with no response he went on, "I've closed the tea shop for the rest of the week and given my workers some paid time off. I know you spoke with your boss and I think we should leave the City for a bit."

Alice took a sip of her diet soft drink—something else she never ordered—and shook her head, "Hatter, I don't think it's such a good idea to head back to Wonderland now. I'm still unsure as to whether or not the killer is from there. It could be someone…"

"I didn't mean we have to go there, Alice. I just meant leave…anywhere. We could visit the East Coast. You've told me before it would be fun to see Washington DC or head south more toward Florida. We could spend a few days on the beach; it would be good for both of us. We could…"

"Hatter, stop. I don't want to go anywhere. I want to be right here with my friends and mother's family. Besides you heard McCarthy…we have to lay low, not go gallivanting around the states."

"That's why we need to leave, Love. If we stay here, something is bound to happen. Let's pack the car up and…"

"I said no!" Alice raised her voice, articulating each word as though each one tasted bitter.

She was fuming and Hatter had never seen her like this before. "What has gotten into you, Alice? I know you're having a hard time, but you're acting…strange."

Before Hatter could say more, Alice blurted out three words that had his heart racing. "I'm pregnant, Hatter."

The busy Café hazed over for a moment and perspiration broke out across his brow, his hands became clammy as they gripped in tight fists and then loosened. He wasn't mad. In fact, this was the greatest news he'd ever heard in his life, but it would be impossible to enjoy it with the threat of being murdered hanging over their heads. "Alice," he began. "How long have you known?"

"Not long. About a week," she confessed.

"A week? And you didn't think you should share something as important as that with me immediately?"

"Of course! But…everything sort of happened all at once…the killer, mother, the baby…plus we weren't really speaking much at the time. I just didn't know how to handle it."

He shut his eyes for a brief moment to regain his composure. "So you handled it alone, like you always do."

Her brilliant blue eyes were swelling with tears and her small, pointy nose was turning a rose color. She never cried at the drop of a hat before. It must be the hormones. "We will talk about this later," he said, sternly. Hatter lifted his arm to wave their waitress down.

When she approached Hatter ordered her to fix Alice another drink. "And bring out another baked potato while you're at it. Extra butter and put some bacon on it as well."

"Yes, right away sir." The short blond girl in a pale green shirt with the café logo on it and jeans scurried off to the kitchen.

Alice was looking at him perplexed. "What?" he asked. "I don't want our baby going hungry. And don't argue with me Alice Hamilton…you're eating."

oo

Alice didn't know whether Hatter was angry with her or not. She knew he was frustrated she didn't tell him right away, but her head was in a daze. Alice hadn't meant to blurt it out like that and especially in a crowded café. She had wanted it to be private, intimate and special. Well, she'd botched that one up and now Hatter was upset and bossy. Alice chewed and chewed butter potato and bacon bits until her stomach wouldn't let another bite in. It felt so weird and satisfyingly good to be full. A feeling she hadn't felt in awhile. She was almost dizzy with the sensation of a savory meal resting in her stomach and her child's. Knowing the little one was as sated as she was beyond anything she'd ever known.

Alice wasn't far enough along to sense any real movement from the baby, but she just knew it was content. Call it motherly intuition…something she thought she'd never have. Another wave of emotions stormed over her and Alice held back the fresh tears. Jesus, she needed to get a hold of herself.

As she slurped the last bit of drink down, Alice glanced around the café to get her mind on something else. The place wasn't quite as busy as before. All the crimson booths had been filled with chatty nervous neighbors and friends gossiping about what really happened to Carol, waiters and waitresses buzzed around the floor with plates and drinks dodging each other as they served the abnormal amount of customers, and men from the kitchen kept hollering diner jive through the sliver of an opening in the wall where full plates of sandwiches and steaks were being dished out. Thankfully it had slowed down some and only a few booths remained full while others were being cleaned off and wiped down.

Alice waved and said her obligatory goodbyes to those heading outside to their cars. Some leaned down to hug her, others just shook her hand. She watched their retreating backs.

The wooden paneled walls around the door they left through had pictures of a single building on a strip of road and a large, flimsy sign that read "Grand Opening" hung above, some had people arm in arm smiling and standing in front of that same building, and other pictures throughout the years showed Olivia's place growing and changing over time. It was comforting to be surrounded by such normalcy, but she was thankful people were starting to leave.

"I'm sorry," Hatter said suddenly.

Alice turned her attention back to him. "For what?"

"For not believing you before…about the killer I mean."

He'd been so sure Alice was exaggerating. She wondered what changed his mind. Alice asked him.

"I had a long discussion with McCarthy last night and he seems to agree with you. I don't want to, but I have to consider you both are right about this."

"We are right," Alice stated.

"_If_ you are, than we can't just sit here like open targets…especially with the stakes even higher now."

"Because of the baby," she said it more like a statement than a question.

"Yes. I don't want anything to happen to you or our child. It's still hard to wrap my head around the fact I'm going to be a father."

Alice knew he wasn't just concerned about the baby; he also wanted to see her safe, but they would have to agree upon something besides going across the country.

"I don't want to leave, Hatter. I know we are in danger here, but I can't just abandon my mother even in death. Her memory, not to mention myself, deserves to know what really happened to her and why. I intend to find out."

"You will let the police handle the investigation, Alice. If I can't get you to leave the state, then dammit you will do as I say and stay hidden. That's my child you're carrying around too and I have to protect both of you."

"I understand how you feel, but…"

"No buts, Alice. We have nothing to go on and no idea who this person is, so let's just let the police do their jobs."

Alice sat back into the booth seat with resignation. There was no way to win this one against Hatter and she knew it. He was right. The police can handle this. She hoped. Only the police weren't aware of the stuff that'd happened before in Wonderland. There were missing pieces and Alice felt confident she could put this thing together on her own, but it would take time. Plus she wasn't an idiot. Alice would need to stay safe and appease Hatter, but there was something there she could sense, like it was sitting on the tip of her tongue waiting to be spoken. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

Just then the hairs on the back of her neck prickled to attention and she knew someone was watching her, which was crazy because the whole day consisted of her being the center of attention as the grieving daughter. But this felt different. Ominous. She glanced around the café, but couldn't find anything out of the ordinary.

A group of six people, coworkers of Carol's, Alice thought, were huddled around one table laughing and drinking colas. A waitress was bent over wiping up a spilled drink from another table a few rows down. There was a loud creak of hinges whining, when Alice noticed the back of a tall man with blond stringy hair in a dark shirt and pants walking through the kitchen door next to restrooms. It must have been a cook on break, she mused. But there was something familiar about that head.

As soon as the man disappeared behind the door, the eerie feeling dissipated. "Are you okay?" Hatter asked placing his hand to her wrist.

"Fine," she said. In truth her nerves were stretched thin and she figured all this death and drama was starting to get to her. "Let's go home," she finally said after a few minutes.

"Of course, love. You look tired." Hatter threw some money onto the table from his wallet and helped her out the door. His arm was around her as he helped her into their car as well.

He was acting like she was made of glass or something. "Hatter… I'm pregnant, not eighty with bad knees."

His mouth smirked as he closed the door on her and went to the driver's side. "You're going to feel eighty years old when I get through with you for keeping this from me."

He'd said it jokingly. His mood seemed to be in good spirits. Alice smiled at him for the first time in awhile and relaxed against the soft rumble of the engine.


	10. Chapter 10

_AN/ Hey guys! I know it's been forever and I'm sooooo sorry. I've felt guilty about it, but I've been super busy getting promoted in my job. So that's a good excuse, right? Haha Anyways, I've got the next couple chapters lined up and I will try my best to get them out to you! ~Eisac_

Chapter Ten

The car glided around the corner with ease and control. Alice attempted a peek over the edge of the cliff, past the guard rail and swallowed hard. She'd pretty much overcome her fear of heights two years ago after partaking in a chase with live rounds on the back of a flying flamingo. So, it wasn't really how high they were, which was about fifty feet, but the rocks below that looked dangerously jagged and the trees with sharp branches sticking out at odd angles.

They seemed to be taking the scenic route home, not that Alice minded. She'd had so much on her plate to worry about; there was a sense of relief to spend this peaceful moment with Hatter on the road like any other day.

When a warm hand settled on top of her own, Alice turned to Hatter who had a fixed smile on his face. She knew what he was thinking. His eyes beamed, "I'm gonna be a daddy," and Alice couldn't help but light up herself. In the midst of all this chaos, it was amazing how the smallest of blissful news could transform both their outlooks right then. It was like a breath of fresh air.

Hatter brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her fingers, "I love you, Alice."

"We love you too." She couldn't help, but include her child. Whether it be a boy or a girl didn't matter, Alice had had a week to let it sink in there would be an addition to their family and soon it would be as familiar as breathing to Hatter as well.

"Listen Alice. We have to get out of here now. As soon as we are home I'm packing us up."

"You've got to be joking," Alice said rolling her eyes.

"I'm not. We can hide somewhere for awhile until this blows over or until McCarthy can bring this guy in. This is serious, Alice."

"I know it, Hatter. I really want all this to be over too." Alice blew out a breath and decided to give in. Now that she had another life on the line and not just her own, she had a responsibility to make sure that life survived. "Okay, let's get out of here."

"No arguments?" Hatter glanced over with a hopeful and almost smug look on his face.

"No arguments. I want to find the killer, but I want to keep our child out of harm's way more." Alice could see the relief spread across Hatter's face and knew she was making the right choice. He kissed her hand once more.

When the car flung forward, Alice had to let go of Hatter to keep from hitting the dashboard. The wheels screeched as he slammed on the brakes, but the car continued pushing forward. Alice clutched the door grip as though it was her last lifeline. "Hatter! What was that?"

His hands were tight grips on the wheel as he tried to keep the car steady. "Someone is trying to send us a message," he said glancing in the rear view mirror.

Another jerk of the car sent it swerving to the passing lane with oncoming traffic. Hatter whipped it back over just as a red Toyota started blaring its horn warning them to get out of the way. There was no emergency lane for them to pull over on the other side, not that it would help much.

Alice turned her head around to get a look at what was happening. A large black vehicle with tinted windows and a shadowy figure driving charged forward ramming their bumper again. Hatter yanked on her arm, yelling, "Get down! He might start shooting at us or something!"

She ducked down low in the seat. Sweat began sliding down her neck and brow, "Message my butt! He's trying to kill us Hatter!"

"I know! Just stay down!" Hatter pulled the steering wheel right preventing them from hitting other cars going the opposite direction and then twisted it left to keep from hitting the guard rails and driving them over the cliff. "Wait! Get your cell. Try calling the police."

Her purse was sitting next to her feet in the floorboard and luckily her cell was in a side pocket, along with McCarthy's number, just in case. She dove for it while trying to remain out of sight. Alice punched the number, which was difficult with the car being jostled around, and waited for the detective to answer. Thankfully, it didn't take long. "Detective! You have to help us! A man is trying to kill us with his car!"

She listened to his gruff voice as he told her to slow down and tell him where she was. Alice took a deep breath and gave him the road name and attempted to give him the mile marker, only she wasn't quite sure. It was difficult paying attention to anything, but the fact at any minute they might be thrown off the cliff. He instructed her to remain calm and stay on the line with him until he reached them. Alice didn't object because McCarthy had become her second lifeline she had a death grip on at that point.

After McCarthy told Burks to send back up to them, he continued to reassure her it would be alright. At first it helped along with Hatter's determination to keep the car from crashing, but it didn't last long.

Hatter tried to slow the vehicle down, but that only made the impact between bumpers that much worse and when Hatter sped up again it made their own car that much harder to control.

The black vehicle behind them eased off enough Alice for a split second thought he was giving up, but then hit the gas like a Nascar driver on his last twenty laps. A scream bellowed from her throat making it sore. When she heard the metal scraping and crunching, Alice knew there was no way Hatter was going to be able to keep them on the road this time. Dropping the phone, Alice held on to the door grip with both hands. The car spun one way, the minivan from the passing lane t-boned them tossing them the other way. She screamed again. Glass shattered and rained down on their heads. Metal colliding shrieked and tires screeched on the pavement. The last thing Alice saw was the guard rail speeding towards her. And her only thought was _this can't be the end_.

Alice felt a throbbing pulse in her temple constantly beating at her skull like hammering a nail in it. She tried to lift her hand to feel her head, but it wouldn't move. Nothing would move, not even her eyelids as they fluttered trying. Her stomach was churning and she thought about opening the door to vomit on the ground, but once again she couldn't move her hand to get to the door handle.

When Alice heard a man's voice yelling at her, she couldn't understand what he wanted, but certainly felt the pain it radiated making her ears throb. Alice opened her eyes then. A blurry buff guy with a white collared shirt was standing outside the car, leaning over the driver seat holding his hand out to her. "Ma'am? Can you move?"

She shook her head, but stopped instantly when the nausea hit her stomach like a wrecking ball from the motion. "If you would just let go of the door there and climb over…Can you do that for me? Now, I don't want you to move if it hurts in any way."

Finally it dawned on Alice that help had arrived for them, red lights flashing everywhere and if she could force herself to get out of the car; she and Hatter could go home to her nice warm bed. And right then some aspirin and bed sounded like heaven.

"That's it," the man smiled holding on to her arm as she slowly managed to get one leg over the gear shift and then the other. "You're doing just fine," he said.

"Get the stretcher over here! She's got a pretty bad head injury! Possible concussion."

Alice winced when he really yelled this time so close to her ear or at least it sounded close. She wasn't sure anymore, but she wished he'd stop or she might puke all over his crisp white shirt. Wouldn't that be a sight?

oo

After they loaded her up on the stretcher, Hatter heard Alice's protest for the hundredth time and decided to put his foot down. "You're going to the hospital Alice! You have a nasty bump and we need to make sure everything is alright with the baby."

That got her to sit back and do what the EMT's told her to. "You're right." A look of horror swept over her and she paled. Hatter hadn't meant to frighten her to death; he just wanted her and the baby safe.

"Hey, it's okay. Everything will be fine, love. I promise." He brushed her bangs from her forehead and held her hand. From what he could tell Alice was indeed going to be just fine, but the bruises under her eyes and red smear of blood down the side of her left cheek made Hatter doubt these guys they were riding with knew what they were doing. Alice probably felt even worse than he did.

When the mini-van had hit their car, Hatter's air bag had popped out with a big puff of smoke and burns going up the insides of his arms. He couldn't see anything in front of them and hadn't known where the car was headed. But he felt the glass shattering all over them and Alice's piercing screams. God, he'd never forget those spine tingling screams from her, just before they hit the rail. Hatter prayed he'd never hear them again as long as he lived.

Nurses and EMTs rushed them into the emergency center, along with another ambulance that had passengers from the mini-van. Hatter made a mental note to ask how they were doing later and if he could help, but right now his first priority was Alice.

They'd put her in a room with celery colored curtain walls and first began stitching up her head. Then shortly another nurse rolled in a machine to do an ultrasound of the baby. Before Hatter could find anything out, a stout red headed nurse in pink scrubs with wide purple glasses, pulled him away from Alice's curtained room. "Sir, if you don't have any injuries, we ask you to please move to the waiting area at this time."

She tried to lead him away, but Hatter turned back in refusal. "No! I have to make sure she's okay."

The nurse was not about to let him do what he wanted. In fact the little round woman was stronger than she appeared. Her right arm swung around his back as she began practically dragging Hatter towards a set of double doors. "Your wife will be just fine, now let the doctors do their job. Come…do we need to take a look at those burns on your arms?"

She was still forcing him to walk down the hall, when Hatter shook his head, "I've had worse. They'll heal."

The red headed nurse did not look convinced. "I'll get Dr. Brenner to come take a look. If you could just wait in here…" She'd taken him into a tiny waiting area with maybe a dozen hunter green seats, a little television in the corner broadcasting news and generic paintings of seascapes lining the walls. The door clicked behind him and suddenly the room felt a lot smaller. If only it had a window or something.

At first he sat down to wait, but he just couldn't stop worrying about Alice. Hatter jumped up to pace the small square room. Logically, he knew she was fine, but what if he'd been wrong? What if something really had happened to their baby during the accident? What if Alice was internally bleeding and he was going to lose them both? Hatter suddenly felt faint, nauseous, dizzy and a ton of other unpleasant sensations all at once. A bitter taste formed in his mouth and the silver garbage can in the corner was abruptly in front of his face. What he'd eaten at the diner was no longer in his stomach.

Just then the door opened and a lanky man in a brown suit and white lab coat instead of a blazer walked into the room with a chart in his hands. "Are you with Miss Hamilton?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," Hatter managed to say after wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "Is she alright?"

"Don't you worry, Langley, her doctor that is going to deliver the baby, is looking at her now. And everything seems to be excellent right now. I've stitched up her head and it looks real good. I'm going to keep her overnight to make sure there are no complications with her head or your baby. We'll run a few more tests, but all in all…I think Alice is a very healthy young woman. And I don't think you've anything to worry about."

Hatter nearly fell, slumping into the nearest seat in relief. "Thank you," he whispered.

"You're welcome. Now, I know the EMTs okayed you, but I've come to check out those arms of yours." He walked over and set his chart down next to Hatter.

"Stubborn red head," he grumbled to himself, which the doctor had heard because he threw his head back to laugh.

"They always are, aren't they?" he said.

After examining him, Brenner took out a pen and began scribbling something down on a pad. "Those aren't serious burns, but it's possible for them to get infected, so I'm giving you a prescription for cream. You need to put it on in the morning when you wake up and before bed for at least two weeks. They'll heal faster if you do."

Hatter folded the paper with gibberish looking handwriting and put it in his pocket. "Thanks? When can I see Alice?"

"Not until we finish the tests. They'll move her to a recovery room in probably a couple hours. Someone will be in soon to let you know where they're going to be moving her. You can go ahead and wait for her there when they do if you like."

"Thank you doctor." Hatter rubbed his eyes and brow. He wanted to just curl up with Alice and take a long nap.

"Oh and one more thing," Brenner paused in the doorway. "It's my understanding that this wasn't an accident, and a detective is waiting to see the both of you together when Miss Hamilton has recovered enough. I told him to wait until tomorrow to speak with the both of you, but to my knowledge, he doesn't look pleased and wanted me to pass a message on to you."

Hatter waited annoyed by the dramatic pause this doctor was taking. "He wants some answers, now. No more games, he said." Brenner didn't question Hatter or say anymore. When the door shut once more behind him, Hatter let his head fall in his hands again. Great. What was he going to tell the detective about Wonderland? And worse…what was he and Alice going to say when they find out that Hatter knew who's trying to kill them?


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Okay, well Hatter didn't know _exactly_ who was trying to kill them, but he had a pretty good idea. And a pretty good idea where he was from, as well. Alice was right all along. Hatter had been too stubborn to admit she was spot on about her mother's death and now he'd almost gotten her killed because of his pride. Well, not again. He'd tell Alice and McCarthy everything he knew. To hell if anybody believed him.

A whisper of a moan came from the thin hospital bed. Alice coughed and tried to sit up. "Alice…stay down. You need to rest, love."

She smacked her lips together as if tasting the air and not liking what she tasted. "Why does my throat feel like it's on fire?"

Hatter had forgotten about the fumes bursting out of the wheel when his air bag exploded. In fact, his own throat felt scratchy hot in the very back. However, Hatter had gotten out of the vehicle immediately after they hit the rail, but Alice had been trapped on the other side and inhaled the fumes for a longer period of time. She must be finally feeling other areas of pain. She'd scared him to death, but thankfully the doctors convinced him everything would be fine. They'd seen numerous accidents such as this one previously and had a very good idea the outcomes to each. The only difference between this accident and the prior ones was this was no accident. Somebody had purposefully driven them into another vehicle.

Just as Hatter was about to buzz for a nurse to come care for Alice, the red head Hatter couldn't stand…_the pushy woman_…waltzed right in on a whirlwind. She pranced to the machines checking each one and then buzzing back into the hallway quickly to bring in some water and medicine. "Alice," she whispered, setting the water pitcher and cup on the portable table. "The doctor said it'd be okay to switch you to a weaker pain med. Now if you can't swallow this let me know and we can set up another drip."

Alice's half glazed eyes wandered around the room as she tried to focus. Hatter brushed her cheek and softly said, "It's alright Alice. Just relax."

She gazed right at him and gave a harsh sigh. Her eyes began to focus, "My head really hurts, Hatter." Her voice was gruff and horse.

"I know love. Do you think you can swallow some medicine to help it?"

She studied him for a moment and moved her tongue around the back of her mouth. "Water. I need some water first." The nurse quickly poured some over into the styrofoam cup and raised the bed to sit her up better. No need for Alice to choke unnecessarily.

Alice took a tiny sip and winced as she struggled to get it down. The next sip was a bit more than the first; she struggled with that one as well, but soon it became easier. Soon she began gulping it down so quickly the nurse couldn't fill her cup fast enough. "Let me have the pills," Alice croaked, out of breath.

"Why don't you take one at a time, huh?" the nurse said dropping them into her hand from the plastic cup. "Don't want to overdo it. Airbag fumes can be horrible sometimes, but I think it's a combination of shock and your other injuries as well making everything worse."

Hatter just stared at the woman as she went on without a care to Alice's feelings, "It's not every day you're run over by another person. I'd wet my britches, if I'd been in your situation. It's a blessing you two survived and with such limited injuries."

Hatter noticed Alice wincing and her fingers were shaking as she dropped the second pill onto her tongue. "Thank you, but I think if you could let Alice get some rest now…we'd appreciate it."

"Oh," she pushed away from the bed. "Of course. Hit the button if you need any further assistance," she said in a more professional tone. Her face was as red as her hair when the woman scurried out the room. The door clicked back into place leaving them in an eerie silence.

It had been a while since he or Alice had been involved in anything so violent or scary. All the fighting in Wonderland over a year ago had seemed too fanciful, especially to Alice. And now to have been attacked in her own world seemed so real. The woman had been through enough and all of this was practically his fault. If he hadn't had stayed with her in the beginning, she would probably be living her life in peace with her mother, Carol right now. Maybe this was proof their relationship was just not meant to be. Their worlds unable to mix.

No. He wouldn't think that. No matter what, Hatter would be thankful Alice was in his life. And now he had a child of his own on the way. And he had to do anything and everything to protect them both. Something had to change. He would not risk either one again. If he had to lock Alice up and throw away the key until this thing was resolved…he would do it.

oo

The next morning, Alice seemed to be recovering nicely. Her head hadn't been hurting her nearly as bad, despite the huge knot. There was bruising here and there over her body as well as Hatter's, but they were both doing much better. The doctors wanted to keep Alice another night to make sure the concussion was under control and no brain swelling. And of course they kept a close eye on the baby as well, just in case any internal damages had been done. So far nothing had been found.

Hatter knew Alice was exhausted for one because they both couldn't stop yawning and another her eyes continually drooped. That dang blasted redheaded nurse came into their room every hour on the dot to wake Alice and check her vitals. It wasn't custom to physically wake the patients during the night, but because of Alice's head injury, the doctors wanted to make sure she didn't slip into a coma during the night. Understandable, however, Hatter's own head seemed to droop continually. They both needed more rest, but they weren't going to get it. At least Hatter wasn't, because McCarthy had asked the nurses to inform them of his arrival this morning. The man wanted answers and Hatter planned to give them no matter how exhausted he was.

When there was a knock on the door, Hatter immediately knew it was the detective, because no one else would have bothered knocking. Nurses busily came and went as they needed. But to Hatter's surprise Officer Burks strolled in unaccompanied.

"What do we owe the pleasure?" Hatter remarked without thinking. Burks wasn't one of his favorite people, but he hadn't meant to sound sarcastic.

Burks' eyes narrowed. "McCarthy is on his way up. He's taking care of a phone call and I came to return Carol's personal belongings to Miss Hamilton." Alice stirred a little from hearing her name, but she was so tired she couldn't lift her eyes much less her head to see who'd said her name. Hatter smoothed her hair and watched her slump back into oblivion.

"I'll take it thanks." He stood up and walked around the bed, faced Burks and took the brown rectangular package from him. An awkward silence fell between the two men.

Burks inclined his head and said, "You know you two have a lot of explaining to do. McCarthy may want to ask Miss Hamilton some more questions."

Hatter didn't even breathe before putting his foot down, "Alice has hardly slept in days; she needs her rest. I'd be happy to answer any questions the detective has, but interrogating Alice can wait. She's too weak right now."

Burks looked the woman in bed over and nodded his head. There was no sign of sympathy Hatter could see, only a hard calculating gaze. It was probably in every cop's best interest to not become emotional on cases, but McCarthy seemed to be more caring than this solidly built man in front of Hatter. The word _cold_ came to mind.

Another knock sounded on the open door as McCarthy walked into the room. He did not look thrilled. In fact there was a stern accusatory essence gravitating towards Hatter. This was going to be excruciating, but he'd swallow his fear and tell these men what they wanted to hear. Or thought they did.

"Alice needs her sleep. If we could go to the waiting room to discuss this situation, I'd much appreciate it." Hatter began moving towards the door not giving the men another option.

McCarthy eyed him curiously and then motioned for Burks to follow. Hatter gently closed the door behind the others seeing his beautiful sleeping woman resting comfortably. He prayed she'd remain that way. For when she finds out the truth Hatter denied her, Alice will be furious with him. He never planned to hurt her by keeping the truth from her; it was merely his way of protecting her. But soon she'd know and the police would know as well. And he may end up locked in a sanitarium for the rest of his life. After all, his world was considered make believe.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Both men stared at Hatter like a patient from the psych ward. But of course Hatter hadn't expected anything but their doubt in his story.

Burks scoffed with his arms crossed leaning on one of the arm rests, "Can you believe that shit? Don't tell me you're buying this crap, McCarthy."

Hatter ignored the man and kept his gaze firmly planted on the detective's who'd been silent the entire time Hatter revealed his and Alice's time spent in Wonderland last year and about the Red Knight, Drew and even Jack Heart. He explained his suspicions that someone from there had returned to seek vengeance. Hatter realized it sounded crazy to normal people from the real world, especially two who were used to dealing with psychopaths, but what could Hatter do? The truth was all McCarthy wanted and now the man looked as skeptical as an orphan on Christmas Eve.

"I promise every word spoken has been the truth, sir." Hatter felt a moment of panic when McCarthy stood up and began walking towards the exit. For some reason it seemed vital for this man to believe him…for Alice's sake.

He paused outside the door. "I'm not sure what to think. It does make some kind of fantastic sense though. Let me talk to a few more people who knew Carol and I'll be back to check on Alice. In the mean time, you get some rest David. I don't want you fretting about your safety or hers. I've posted some of my men outside her room and if you need anything just ask them. Alright?"

"You believe me right?" Hatter rose ignoring Burks' obvious annoyed disdain for him.

McCarthy's eyes glittered with suspicion or pity, he couldn't tell, but the man just nodded his head, "I believe you David. Just get some rest." Hatter sunk in relief in one of the chairs, his legs giving out.

oo

"Have you lost your mind?" Burks barked at McCarthy as they walked out the front glass doors of the hospital. "You can't honestly say that hogwash is the reason Carol Hamilton was murdered."

McCarthy gave him a beleaguered look. "Of course I don't think that. I do believe, however, that David fully thinks he speaks the truth. He may need some help."

"But if you don't believe him, then why didn't we haul him in to Mission? He could be the one causing all these 'accidents' and is too mentally disturbed to realize it. We have plenty of proof he's been in Carol's apartment, finger prints everywhere…for all we know he killed her."

"I don't think he killed her Burks." McCarthy pulled his keys out and unlocked the car.

"What makes you say that?" They both slid inside the stuffy vehicle. McCarthy immediately turned the ignition and cranked up the air.

"A hunch."

"A hunch? Jesus, man! What kind of detective are you?"

"Look, I didn't get this job because my daddy pulled a few strings to get me in and I sure as hell have been around long enough to know when to go with my gut…and my gut says David's not the killer. I don't know who is, but dammit I'm going to find out. So sit back, help me figure this thing out and stop bitchin like a prissy girl!"

Burks face turned every shade of red from fire engine to plum, before he puffed out his chest, pulled a stick of chewing gum out of his pants and popped it into his mouth.

"And just why the hell do you have to chew gum all the damn time, anyways?"

"It keeps me from smoking when I'm stressed," he blurted.

McCarthy hated the man's smacking just about as much as he hated a crooked cop, but it was a hell of lot better than listening to his incessant grumbling. The man must be stressed constantly, but for what reason. Sometimes McCarthy wondered if he even actually thought out his cases or if he just spun around in a circle with his finger pointed out in front. And whoever's picture he landed on when he opened eyes, that was the person he accused of the crime. The man needed to learn a thing or two about detecting…hell about life. McCarthy figured Burks' father had assumed he'd be the man able to show him. Great.

"Look I'm going to stop by the station and drop you off. I want you to take a car out to the Hamilton house and check things out there. I'm going back to Carol's and ask her neighbors some more questions. See if anyone's story has changed. Radio if you notice anything suspicious. Can you handle that?"

"Yes, I can handle that," he sneered, as if spitting venom at him.

oo

It was well after six in the evening when McCarthy finally finished up speaking with all Carol's neighbors. The middle aged man named Fred at the end of the hall, the two twins Mary and Marcy in 22 and eccentric Sibell in 18 who used to bake Carol cakes for her birthdays and holidays. None of which had changed anything about their whereabouts and suspicions of their own from day one. Everything was the same.

McCarthy rubbed the back of his aching neck as he dropped his notebook into his inner jacket pocket and began heading down the hall. It had been a long couple of weeks, especially the last few days. Not one wink of sleep since Carol's murder. It had put him on edge from the very beginning. Something was wrong with this situation, making the hairs on his neck and arms stand on end. He could feel the wrongness of it even now.

A soft thunk sounded from inside the apartment in passing. It wasn't a particularly loud noise, nor an alarming one, but when McCarthy realized it was from the apartment with yellow police tape crossed over the door, his heart began to pound in his temples. Someone was in there. Familiar adrenaline coursed up his arms and down to his legs whenever he sensed trouble.

Immediately, McCarthy drew his gun and held it eye level. He batted the yellow tape away and kicked in the door. He was stiff, ready for threat whatever direction it came from and quickly scanned the room, announcing his presence. A deep voice yelled from outside the window in the alleyway between apartment buildings. A flash of shadow went by the window where a fire escape connected with stairs leading down onto the pavement. McCarthy rushed to the window and saw two men dressed in jeans and black hoodies run down the alleyway and disappear around the corner of another back alley.

He tested the window that was in fact unlocked and had merely been shut by the men on their way out. It had to have been the killer or in this case killers. Why would two men have been in this apartment unless they were thieves who saw an easy gain by stealing things from a crime scene? But neither one of the men had been carrying anything with them. Surely if they were thieves they would have carried some sort of bag with them?

McCarthy swallowed hard and pushed up the window. He didn't like this. He didn't like this one bit. His mouth was dry as he hurried down the steps into the alleyway. Running to the corner he'd seen the men disappear down, McCarthy stopped abruptly when he heard voices arguing with one another. Positive both were male, early to mid-thirties, Caucasian, fair skinned and possibly dark hair. He couldn't quite make out their features from the hoods casting their faces in shadow.

Hiding behind the wall, he listened to their arguments to figure out who the hell these guys were. Apparently they hadn't noticed McCarthy come into the apartment nor run after them. He'd make use of this, seeing how the alley where the men stood dead ended. With nothing, but a large blue dumpster that reeked of soured milk and cat piss, a couple cardboard boxes and ratted recliner next to it and an old mirror with a rusted frame leaning against the bricks.

"Look, we are almost through alright…" the shorter man said.

He was probably more around McCarthy's height of five-ten or six even. The other had to have been at least six foot three inches tall if not more and that was only an estimate. He responded in a softer tone, "It's been over a year. I want this finished, so we can go after that sniveling weasel, Drew, and kick him off the throne."

"Right." He moved closer to the taller man with a malevolent giddiness in his eye. As if he were mentally rubbing his greedy hands together.

"You should have had them on the cliff the other day, Francis. I can't afford to risk them coming back. We need this taken care of now!" he yelled at the short man.

"I tried, Kael! But how was I to know how difficult it'd be? The man was good at dodging me."

"Let's just get this handled soon. I've got too much riding on this and I don't need those two fucking it up…especially the woman. She's notoriously known for foiling our plans up."

"I'll do whatever you need me to do," Francis said.

"No! You had your chance and you screwed up. Looks like I'm going to have to take care of them like I did the last one."

McCarthy shook his head in disbelief. No way, it couldn't be true. David had told them about Drew becoming the new king of the Red Knight's land, but it had sounded so insane. Were these guys off their rockers too or were they all telling the truth? Did Wonderland actually exist? And these men came back for revenge? God, his head hurt too much when he tried to picture the story he'd read as a child was in fact a true place Alice had visited.

Well, make believe or not a real person had been murdered and these men were real criminals. They were involved in this somehow and McCarthy intended to find out to what extent. He quietly radioed Burks for backup and then held his gun out once more.

He took a deep breath and raced from his hiding spot, yelling, "SFPD!" But when he rushed out into the open where the men had been standing no one was there anymore. The breeze caught his hair as McCarthy lowered his weapon that began to shake in his hand. The last time he'd felt the rush of confusion and nervous unease on the job, he'd been a rookie. He was always confident and steady. But he sure as hell felt the unease now. There was no way for them to climb or enter any buildings except for one back door, but it had no handle to grab on to. It was one of those that only opened from the inside out.

Where the hell did they go? McCarthy walked down the alley and readied his gun once more just in case they decided to pop out from behind the dumpster, but it was clear. Everything seemed perfectly fine. He glanced at the large mirror leaning on the wall and studied it a moment. Was this the looking glass mirror David had mentioned? It couldn't be…could it? This was just a grungy mirror left in a grungy alley.

McCarthy holstered his gun and hesitantly walked up towards his reflection. It appeared to be an ordinary mirror…not some secret passage way to a fictional land. He reached his hand up to touch it, but stopped. "This is insane," he grumbled to himself and turned to walk away back down the alley. But something made him stop. What if David was right? And where did those men go? He had to find out. He'd regret it the rest of his life if he didn't get down to the bottom of this and despite his logical brain telling him he was stupid for trying this…McCarthy waltzed right up to the mirror and tried to flatten his palm against the glass.

It was cold at first and then warm as his fingers began slipping through it as though it were a doorway of some sort. "No," he breathed. He gulped and watched the mirror ripple like water as he yanked his hand back. His skin tingled where it had touched the reflective glass.

There were some things McCarthy could not handle and this happened to be one of those things.


End file.
